The Melting Pot
The Brick Kiln
Larkspur, CA 94939 (415) 461-6358
Third Wednesday of every month. Petite feast 4 course…
Announced 4 days ago
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 5:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
Fri 5:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m.
Sat 4:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m.
Sun 4:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m. - Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- 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: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
125 Reviews for The Melting Pot
One of The Melting Pot's Favorite Reviews
I took my lovely date on "Lover's Lane". Room for just two at the table with the hint of intimacy with a curtain hanging to our table's side and nestled into a corner. We enjoyed the warm atmosphere in this historic brick kiln. The bar was great service. The dining room service was awesome and informative. It was our first time doing fondue and it took us maybe 2 1/2 hours. The experience was great fun. The atmosphere was very intimate. We will do it again.
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Love the location! Easy parking and the brick kiln makes it unique. A fabu happy hour spot with wonderful deals, I think I went five times in two months once...was on a first name basis with the bar tender. My favorite part of the melting pot are the mints, make sure to grab a few as you exit- ha.
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This was my first fondu experience. the place itself is awesome. really one of the coolest spaces I have been in. built into old furnaces from a brick factory (ok, that does not sound good, but it is!).
Kind of pricey, I think it was $100 for 2 and we did not really drink.
Food was great, and a fun way to eat!
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There aren't enough words for how awesome this place is! It's great for a special occasion or even for a night out with the girls.
We always now sit at the bar cause through our frequent visits have gotten to know the bartenders and it's always a fun yummy time.
We would always order fondue for two and it was usually too much for 3 people so know we just order a couple of a la carte items and it's cheaper and you don't need a wheelbarrow to take you out.
I've been here about 4 times. What's not to love? CHOCOLATE for dessert! Great food, ambiance & service. I have never been disappointed, well, except the next morning when I stepped on the scale:(
This is a good place to go for a date, a party or just a few friends getting together. They also have what's called "Girls night out". It's a special menu at a special price. I thin kthey do this once a month! Oh yeas, & you MUST have the Yin & Yang drink! Yummy to look at & even yummier to drink!
I'm going to say it right now - the Melting Pot is my favorite restaurant in Marin. Yet I don't give it 5 stars. Why?
First, let's talk about what I like. I love the ambiance inside. It's unique and feels dressy, but it can also be lively and fun. You can have a very romantic dinner for a two or a raucous party with friends. The wine list is outstanding. If you're looking to save a few bucks, they don't charge corkage on Monday nights.
I've been a huge fan of beef fondue since I was a child. I prefer it cooked in hot oil, although the Melting Pot also offers the healthier option of cooking in broth. You can also fondue with far more than the center-cut filet mignon. On various occasions, we've tried duck, pork, chicken, lobster, fish, etc.
Likewise, many different types of cheese fondues are available. Being a traditionalist, I enjoy the swiss fondue.
Throughout the cheese and main fondue courses, you are provided with vegetables, batters, and sauces to experiment with. This makes the experience very diverse and fun. I particularly enjoy dipping mushrooms in the tempura batter with the green goddess dressing. NOT HEALTHY. But delicious!
Dessert is incredible. With literally a dozen different types of dessert fondues, you MUST save room.
OK, the negatives. The servers are clearly trained extensively, but they are generally quite young and are prone to mistakes not befitting a place that costs so much. On the plus side, I've had a couple of servers who had gained enough experience to navigate the difficulties of serving such a complex array of food to a large party. A sommelier seems to be part-time and may help with decanting and serving wine, but it's inconsistent. The servers are clearly trained to push certain wines when asked (I got a Kendall Jackson recommendation that really didn't work for me). I recommend asking for the sommelier or owner if you consider the wine to be as important as I do.
The biggest drawback here are the prices. A Valentine's Day dinner with my sweetie set me back $350. On special occasions, the Melting Pot has a set, prix fixe menu that may not fit your tastes. That was certainly the case on Valentine's Day, when they tried to be very exotic but ended up being just a huge ripoff. It was such a bad deal that I wrote a letter to the corporation. I never heard back. As a result, they nearly lost my business. But because I enjoy the food (when allowed to order from the full menu) and ambiance so much, I have forgiven them.
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Lance brought us here some 2 years ago, that was my first time (at this restuarant not the fondue) and I very well remember that Michelle made a comment that although the whole experience was great, she kinda didnt like the fact that we have to cook our food. There's like 10 or 12 of us and you can just imagine all the "colorful" skewers in the pot. I had a great time then, because in between cooking time its your chance to actually socialze, to chitchat.
The succeeding times that I went usually with first-timers, they all liked the experience. Sure it a litlle bit pricey but again I think the whole cooking, dining and wining is awesome.
I have read the other reviews, and I just find it funny that the "whole fondue thing" is actually criticized. Of course its not your regular french cuisine and yes you have to do the cooking, its comparable to the 'whole sushi experience" as well, if one is not adventurous enough how do you expect them to like and enjoy raw fish...
The service is excellent, the attention they give you and their always there to answer your every question with regards to the whole dining experience thing.
For those who have not tried fondue this is the best way to try it and I assure you, you'll never go wrong.
Fondue me, please! What a tasty delight. I've never had fondue before but my friend said that this place was great and boy, she ain't never lied! 4 of us went to celebrate one of my friend's birthdays. Because there were 4 of us, we ordered 2 of the Fondue Feast. It came w/ your choice of cheese (we ordered the fiesta and spinach and artichoke dip), a salad, an entree that consists of shrimp, pork, sirloin, chicken, jerk beef, butternut squash ravioli, and dessert. More than enough food! EVERYTHING was delicious. The cheese was soooo good and I couldn't get enough. But the dessert was killer!! We ordered two: a banana and caramel concoction and an oreo cookie fondue w/ dark chocolate. The dessert comes w/ rice krispie treats, brownie bites, pound cake (!), cheesecake, strawberries, bananas, and marshmallows. Oh. My.God. We were practically scraping the bottom of the pot. So freaking delicious. Plus, you GOTTA try their blackberry margarita. Did you hear me?!?! BLACKBERRY MARGARITA. I had 3 of those bad boys. CRAZY delicious. In addition, our server was incredibly funny and nice (shout out to Levi!). He was real patient w/ us even though we were the last customers to leave at, like, 11:30pm (this was on a Thursday night, mind you)! I am literally counting down the days when I can come back here. Honestly, you don't even really NEED to order all the meat. It could be great just ordering the cheese fondue alone b/c it comes w/ an endless supply of tortilla chips, bread bites, fruits, and veggies. God, I wanna go back right now!!!!
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I went here for my birthday last year after a horrific time a Fondue Fred's the year before (partially because the restaurant was just blah and the fact I invited my roomate's new and yet toxic in all forms girlfriend). Be prepared to throw down some cash for dinner at the Melting Pot! Dinner and drinks for three ran us $175. Surely you gest.... no, no I don't. Our waiter was very friendly and insisted we try the Wisconsin Trio. So we did and it was the best. To be very certain of this, we ordered a second cheese fondue (glutton for punishment much?) and sadly, it was just so-so. So after we had packed away a regular fondue and 2 cheese fondues, it was time for dessert. By then I was on my second Chocolatini - which was just delightful as I am a lightweight - and that matched whatever random chocolate dessert we had. I don't remember what one, all I know is that it was chocolatey and f'n good!
The restaurant is located in an old wine cellar and is very beautiful. Compared to the other location I've been to, the setting is much more romantic - for y'all looking to impress a loved one.
I went to their downtown Sacramento location with my mom two months ago. They had a special that enticed people to come to the restaurant during rush hour since the I-5 was closed for repairs. This dinner was much more affordable ($40 for the two of us) and just as yummy as the location in Larkspur!
I defintitely recommend them and will be happy to go again.
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Way, way too much to pay for such a hot mess.
The sweet and memorable dipping and dunking I've done in the past as part of a duo just did not translate very well at all here with a larger group:
People left dinner still hungry, the staff were like smiling bread fascists, alternately rushing us through the meal and being no where to be found, and overall we could have done just way , way more and better with the almost $2,000 blown here - I just thank the tiny baby Christmas Jesus that the bill was not headed my way.
There were about 25 of us there for a wedding rehearsal dinner and it just seemed that we were constantly being ripped off, with waiters telling us they couldn't do this or that because of the "contract," since we'd made advance reservations. One of my biggest peeves of the night- no dipper refills - for dinner or dessert! I've been to several Melting Pots across the country and I have never, ever, ever, ever been told before that there would be no dipper refills - usually it's been the absolute reverse, being told very specifically that you can have as many dippers as you want, just not more of the fondues - this is considered standard for a fondue restaurant. But here, when you run out of bread, you ain't getting no more bread, period,even if you have a bunch of cheese left - and they don't give you very much of the bread and veggies to begin with. Our server said he'd never heard of getting more dippers before....
That's not just wack, that is crazy, like Great Depression-era cheap.
The waitstaff also started straight tripping in the middle of the meal when people ordered some "not included" drinks - a total of less than $20 of a four-figure meal. A waitress was seriously asking me how I was "going to take care of this" regarding my ordered drink - milk for a kid - in the middle of the meal still, prompting the bride-to-be to bust out a credit card in the middle of the multi-course meal to pay for a $3 milk, and seriously, like two cocktails.
Then the waiter actually scolded people - repeatedly - for eating food too early from the platters before he was done with his very, very, very ridiculously long-winded, detailed and repetitive fondue cooking instructions! It ain't that complicated, man - stick fork in food, stick fork in pot to cook - the end, damn!
And the waiter - our main waiter - couldn't identify the bride or the groom at the END of the meal, when I wanted him to bring them flutes of champagne, so I had to point - literally- them out to him. Too busy already counting up that fat large party tip to give a crap, huh? You didn't have to make it so obvious.
Also The Melting Pot called me about six times on the day of to try to pressure us to upgrade - for like another $1,000 - to a private room, and kept calling back again even after being told a firm, firm no thanks more than once!
Although planning and arranging for the event to begin with was fairly easy enough, it just really devolved into a sloppy, ooey, gooey, poorly managed clusterfuck on the day of, and I totally regret giving them our business.
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Yummmy! This place is fantastic. The ambiance is beautiful (old brick kilns- how cool is that) and the bar is well stocked, and the food is delicious! Only 4 stars not 5 because let's face it people, Fondue is a food you cook yourself, and for all the deliciousness, it is still a bit pricey. But will I go there again and again and again? Oh yes....
I came here with my mom and bf on a Saturday night.
They ordered the "big night out", while I wanted the fondue and salad. The Swiss fondue was absolutely to die for! The house salad wasn't so good, so I actually sent in back :(
The rest of the meal is a strange concept. The main course came with meat and veggies. You have to cook it yourself by dipping the food into the pot. I didn't eat any of the meat (I'm a vegetarian), but they seemed to enjoy it.
The best part: The chocolate fondue dessert! We ordered the s'mores fondue and it came with strawberries, cheesecake, marshmellows, pound cake, ghram crackers, and chocolate cake bites. It was possibly the best dessert ever!
The bar menu is also extensive. I'm not a big drinker, but they have a lot of specialty drinks and a vast selection of wines by the glass.
When I go next time, I think I'll just order the fondue and dessert...that's plenty for me!
Yay for free valet!
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Always my favorite place. Love cheese and chocolates? this is the place to go! And the ambiance of the place is always romantic. Love the place although it's pricey.. but once in a while for special occasion.. it's worth it!
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3.5 Stars.
The fondue experience here is amazing. Mainly because the restaurant is in a historic brick kiln. Yup, that's right, they used to make bricks in this restaurant. You walk in and you feel like you just stepped into an underground hobbit world.
Before you eat or after you eat, be sure to take a walk around to check out this dark maze of brick inferno.
We were fortunate to be nestled in our own private table down Lover's Lane. It was cozy, private, and dimly lit. This is definitely a good place to go if you want some one on one time with your SO. Well, until the food arrives because then it's you, your SO, and the food. Not at all a bad arrangement.
We decided to do the Big Night Out for $84. This is a four course meal for 2. You can individualize your meal according to the different fondues and food selections.
1st course - Cheese Fondue - We had the Spinach Artichoke Cheese Fondue which is made with Fontina, ButterKase, and Buttermilk Bleu cheeses. The fondue was yummy! The "dippers" that they provide to dip into the cheese needs work. The bread quality was really awful. It was hard and tasted stale. The veggies were ok, but we had a little too much celery. Maybe some steamed broccoli or just more broccoli in general or a better selection of veggies.They also had green apples, I felt that red apples would have went better with this meal or just give me really great quality bread and I would be set with this delicious cheese fondue.
2nd Course - Salad - My bf and I both had the California salad which was mixed baby salad greens, Roma tomatoes, walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese, with Raspberry BlackWalnut Vinaigrette Dressing. Was great, but not stellar.
3rd Course - Fondue Fusion with Coq Au Vin. Fondue Fusion came with a sampler for two of Lobster Tail, Filet Mignon Medallion, Jerk Seasoned Sirloin, Vanilla Rum Chicken, Marinated Pork Tenderloin, Zesty Peppered Shrimp, Butternut Squash Ravioli, and Fresh Vegetables.
I enjoyed cooking the medley of meat, seafood, and veggies over the pot of simmering Coq Au Vin. I thought it was good, but not excellent because the pieces are so small that you can't appreciate what you are eating. Maybe medley of different dippers is not a good idea. Probably the same type of meat would have been better. That way you can appreciate the quality and really taste what you are eating.
4th Course - Dessert! - Chocolate Fondue - My favorite part! My bf and I love dark chocolate, so we decided to skip over all the fancy chocolate combinations and go for the pure dark chocolate. It came with a medley of Fresh strawberries, bananas, cheesecake, tasty marshmallows,pound cake and brownies. These were all very small pieces, so there were tons of yummy dark chocolate left over. Disappointed! This would have been better if you could choose your dippers, too.
This is really a 3 1/2 star place. The stars are for the restaurant ambiance (historic brick kiln!), our wonderful server - Krystle, and the fondue itself. The "dippers" really need improvement in quantity and size.
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Dinner for 4 on a Friday night. Jeff and I sat at the bar while waiting for the other 2. Happy hour was going on - $2 beers! Also, if you come to happy hour and buy a regular priced drink, you can eat fondue for 1/2 off. Seriously - what a freakin steal!
Dinner was nice. We had the "Big Night Out" 4-course menu - cheese fondue, salad, all the meats and seafood and a dessert fondue for $85/couple. Food was ok - pricey for what it was. The atmosphere was nice and our waiter was great. I'd come back, but only during happy hour for the freakin steal.
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This place is great!
As soon as you walk in it's like your in a whole other world. It's like a wine seller in a hobbits castle. (Actualy an old brick Kiln)
I always get the big night out when I go here which has everything
Salade, cheese fondue, choice of main course and cooking broth, and of coures the desert. Best part is you don't have to get whats listed!! You can get any cheese fondue, salade or desert.
Dinners take about 2 hrs here and they let you know as soon as you ask for a table. If you have never been to a fondue place may want to have the waiter give you the run down on the menue (though they usualy ask)
and Yes you do cook your own food but thats part of the experience.
Prices are about $80 per couple but well worth it. This is hands down the best Fondu place I have been to. It's romantic, fun, and just an all around good time.
I love love love this place! First of all, it's definitely a very romantic restaurant. They have their "Lovers Lane" 2 person booths in the back of the restaurant. So you can sit next to each other, and be completely blocked off by other tables and and people walking around. It's like your are in your own little world. I've been here twice with Wayne and each time we always end up being more stuffed than we originally had thought. You might think that Fondue is little bite size breads, cheeses, meats and veggies, but this place gives you a good size of everything. All of the plates are also served with a salad.
Definitely save your stomach for dessert. I love the Smore's Fondue. Which is milk chocolate, marshmellows and crushed graham crackers. They also throw a tiny bit of wine in there also which kicks it up a bit. The dessert places come with strawberries, bananas, apples, marshmellows, brownies, cheesecake, and more graham crackers.
Overall, I love this place because the service is great and very attentive, and I love that they have completely private 2 person booths to have a nice romantic night out with your hunnie!
Just remember to save your stomach for dessert!
Good food...but pricey considering you are cooking it. Service has never been that great. I honestly like the cheese and dessert but could completely pass on the entree portion. Good for out of town visitors but not a regular place i would go to.
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I was given a gift certificate for Christmas from my sister and came with it the most raving reviews from my family. Being the good daughter I am I invited my parents to join my husband and I for a fun night out. After doing a bit of research I found that not all Melting Pot venues are created equal.
When we arrived I must say, it looks like nothing from the front but the inside is something to behold. The only thing I have to compare it to is Bourbon and Branch. The both are ornate. While my husband and dad gave themselves a self guided tour, my mother and I listened to the manager talk about how the "cave" was once a kiln used for making bricks. The little holes we saw in the ceiling were actually used to dropping coal for firing the bricks. We learned that just about any old building you see made of bricks in the bay area probably came from here!
Oh, nuff said about the venue, lets get onto the food. I must give a small disclaimer, my husband and I love to make cheese fondue at home. This being said, we didn't find anything to interesting about the cheese fondues. They were really good though, just a bit over priced, isn't all fondue though? From our experience with Simply Fondue we decided not to order any of the main courses and just skip to desert. One chocolate fondue we tasted stood out among the rest, the chocolate turtle, AHHHhh, YUMMY! I'd go back just for the venue and that chocolate turtle!!!
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I remember eating at a Hot Pot City with my family as a kid and HATED IT because you had to cook your own food and you leave smelling like you were trapped at grandma's house while she's frying up a tilapia with all the windows closed because it's too cold outside. Well, this place is good I would have to say. Eventhough I would lose track of time after throwing everything in the pot, it all came out quite tasty. I would have to agree with everyone else about the cost but it was worth the experience. (Luckily my company discount card works there.) But hey, it's a great place for a romantic dinner or for a small group of friends and family. Best of all, you don't end up smelling like your food when you leave. Happy hour starts at 5pm and it's only if you order from the bar, not from your seat.
Words cannot fully express how wonderful the Melting Pot is. The atmosphere alone is so impressive I knew I'd be returning before I even got through my entire meal.
The first time I ever visited this place I came back for more later that week. That's the fan level I'm at.
Honestly, I've only had the main course fondue a couple of times. The cheese and dessert are enough to fill me up alone. Pretty much each option of cheese fondue is excellent. Most come with a little something special to that option. If you've never had fondue, there is a "fiesta" version that can slowly get you into it. Comes with chips in addition to all the other usual items like apples, carrots and bread. My favorite though has to be the Wisconsin Trio.
The dessert is amazing as well. The smores version comes with graham crackers and it's festively lit on fire when prepared at your table.
It's a little pricey but great for special occasions. My only complaint is that you can't get two appetizers at once because there is only one burner per table so groups of 4 won't get quite as full when skipping the main course. I usually just go with one other person. Large groups can sit at the bigger tables that have two burners but be sure not to bring too many people, your party will be split up and there's definitely no pushing tables together...
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I would never think to go here, but I tried it out because of a work function and I am glad I did. I was actually most impressed with the ambiance. It's like eating dinner in a fancy brick cave with soft music playing in the background. The building itself has a lot of history as it's inside the historic Brick Kiln (basically an old brick factory from the 1800s -- bricks made here were used to rebuild San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake).
The meal is divided into several courses. First, you start with pots of cheese and bread and vegetables. Then you get a choice of salad.. followed by an entree choice and broth choice. Yes, you cook your own food here which is a good thing because you'll need to burn some extra calories in preparation for the decadent chocolate pots, which finish you off. Like I said, not usually the kind of meal I go for but it was a really nice experience overall. Good for groups, because you can bond over lost food floating in the pots and there's the unifying factor of dipping things in chocolate that just brings everyone together.
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The Melting Pot is quite the EXPERIENCE!
Ive been here a few times and everytime I've left extremely satisfied (and also extremely satiated!). First of all, this is not a quick meal: you cook your own food, at a very slow pace. I normally make my reservation for 6, and the meal itself lasts anywhere between 2 and 4 hours (great way to catch up with friends)
The only reason why I dont come here more often is because it's not cheap.. definitely money well worth the experience, just not something that can be done as a friday night staple. Aside from that, this place makes for an awesome company party, date, birthday, or anything else you can think of. If you're wondering if you should try it, check out the pictures because they give a very good idea of how it's going to be! Seriously.. who could say no to a decadent marshmallow wrapped in melted dark chocolate?
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I'm giving the restaurant 4 stars for it's unique quality and oddly interesting motif. I went to the restaurant by myself which only gave me more opportunity drink wine as I stuck out like a sore thumb. It seems to the place to go for an occasion. There were lots of families and obvious lover-type couples cozied up in the intimate/dark booths.
The burners are built into the table and this makes fondue diving that much more fun. I noted that the burner is set on one side of the table and with more than 2 people the furthest person had difficulty cheese diving. I ordered one of the cheese package deals which was more than enough food for one person. The blend of gruyere, wine and broth melting in a pot was more fun than I've had by myself in a long time.
The waitstaff prepares your pot of cheese right in front of you. They rub the pot with garlic if you like, which gives the fondue another layer of flavor. The supply of vegetable and bread is plentiful and more is offered. Waitstaff is few and far between so be prepared to get their attention as they round-by.
Out the door I must have spent close to $50. with 2 glasses of wine. I would recommend this restaurant to friends who want the unique style. But, it's not one of Marin's most fine dining experiences. Also offered on the menu is a the opportunity to fry your meat a in a vat of oil. This looked interesting but I was wearing silk so didn't want to risk spatters. The table next to me seemed to be enjoying the experience but there is a lingereing oil in the air - something to be aware of.
This is a great place for kids and families, celebrations or a place for something different. One more note, the restaurant is located in an old brick circular building. It's was an amazing experience to keep walking around and around to get to our table. I went to the restaurant in December and I remember that it was freezing inside - all the better to cozy up to a loved one I suppose. Enjoy!
It's okay. Not that great. Too much to pay for food your cooking yourself.
This place is relly not all it's cracked up to be, my aunt and her family had told me about it so I decided to try it for myself- I love fondue. I had been waiting to come here seeing as though we live in Walnut Creek, so I choose the melting pot as my birthday destination. The hostess was nice, as well as the general manager. We ordered two "big night out"'s for four people, one was the regular one - the fondue feast (all meats with shrimp), and the other the fondue fusion (fondue feast + lobster). First off we were seated and came dircetly from the bar with our drinks. We were overconsumed with the menu for some time- which can be a good thing. The waiter at the start was somewhat rude. The cheese was okay, but frankly I have had better from the swiss packages you can get at safeway. Plus although they give you unlimited bread and veggies, or a dessert platter per couple, they only give you one pot of cheese, and chocolate with your couples order- even if you order 2 couples meals( with the big night out which is per couple which includes cheese fondue, salad, meat, and dessert). We each ordered different salads, I had the tropical salad, and it was interesting, it tasted like it had jamba juice poured all over it- but not a good tasting one, and the coconut cashews tasted like fruit loops- for real. I tried my sisters, she got the california, and I did not like that either- though I am not a big bleu cheese fan. My boyfriend got the ceasar and it contained tidbits of walnut, which he liked- but others may have had a spasm over- literally. My boyfriend also ordered a second drink which took 30 minutes before the waiter came to say it will be right out, and then another 30 minutes for it to actually come out- I was surprised it actually did. My boyfriend is very calm and laidback, and when my sister asked him "didn't you order a drink?" he told her it was being sent by mail, we laughed about it. When the meat platter came out, my sister asked a few questions while he was explaining each sauce, and after answering maybe one, he told he to wait and that he would explain everything- in a very rude manner, I was actually laughing at her repremand, but was not very appropriate on his part. The meat platter was good, the meats are well and interestingly marinated before hand, and they offer a lot of sauce choices with the platters, however the sauces were not to great, and the cooking method the waiter reccomended- the mojo style- was overpowering and made everything taste weird. For dessert we ordered the bananas foster fondue, mixed with white chocolate- that was really good. The show stealer, however we were to full at that point to full to enjoy it. The meal was filling, if not that great, but the rude service was really not worth the ride to larkspur.
This is one of my favorite special occasion restaurants. The Melting Pot in Larkspur offers a truly romantic setting for a date while still being a great place for a group dinner. The "caves" provide a very unique backdrop for a fabulously rich and decadent meal. I've dined at the Sacramento Melting Pot and although the food was great, the atmosphere is nothling like the Larkspur location.
The menu offers 'a la carte' dining as well as several complete dinner meals. Not quite sure why Gregg G had such a difficult time deciphering the menu (maybe he's been spending too much time in the Denver Airport and not enough time in restaurants?).
The "Big Night Out" is the best dinner meal to order. It begins with a cheese fondue served with apples, bread and vegetables (get the traditional Swiss fondue over the other fancy offerings) followed by an individual salad, main course fondue and dessert fondue. The main course fondue includes a great variety of meats/seafood/poultry and a veggie item like ravioli or pot stickers. GO WITH THE OIL! Most people are tempted to try the broth because they think it will be light and healthy...but this is not the place for a light, healthy dinner. This is an extravagant evening that should include lots of wine, many courses of food and good company. The oil cooks the food faster and provides the most flavor...hands down.
As far as dessert fondue, you can't miss. Anything you order will be phenomenal! The dessert fondue comes with strawberries, bananas, marshmallows, brownies, pound cake and other goodies to dip into the chocolate concoction of your choice (I like the caramel turtle one).
Also, a note about the price. This is definitely a pricey restaurant but worth every penny. The Melting Pot provides a very high quality product, great service and great ambiance, so save up and head down there when you're not looking to penny pinch.
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Fondue? Try Fon-don't, fond do not, or fond I am not.
Thought I was going to get something special, romantic, and "high end" enough to satisfy even the cultivated graces of my special lady friend.
What I got instead was an overpriced, overhyped "nice ambiance" with unimpressive food. Not to mention, unbeknownst to me going in, a friggin' chain restaurant!
Melting Pot is well-staffed and neatly situated in a historical kiln in the cute little town of Larkspur. But in my humble opinion, if you are looking to throw down serious ducats on a classy dinner, there are much better fancy pants options than Melting Pot.
Next time, go elsewhere, or better yet, go to Park Chow and donate the difference to the Obama campaign, a homeless person on the street, or the charity of your choice.
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The only reason I'm not giving this place 5 stars is the price.
The food was excellent. I went to The Melting Pot for the first time last night for their Ladies Night special: $30 for salad, cheese fondue, meat course and dessert. Plenty of food between my friend and I. Plus, it gave us 3 hours of catching up, which we haven't done in awhile.
Service was excellent. Our waitress, whose name escapes me, checked on us frequently, without seeming overbearing or annoying. She was friendly, polite and genuinely nice.
Some general tips:
Order the oil over the broth.
The oil gets REALLY hot the longer it sits on the burner. Cooking time dropped in half by the end of the meal.
Overall, great experience. When I have some more cash, I'll definitely go again.
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This place is a great experience and a relationship builder being you have to cook for one another and try all the new things together. I took x-wifey here for her birthday weekend bash. It went over very well also helped that they arrange for beautiful flowers to be at the table.
The prices are great for all that you get to enjoy.I recommend going here with a favorite person and try all the desserts, Live a little! chocolate covered marshmallows? Ohhh yeah!!!
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The only reason I gave this place 4 stars is because you can seriously overeat here, as my colleague Eric L. had stated. But anyway,
I mean, come on. CHEESE? BREAD? A HOT BOWL? LONG FORKS?
It's like a re-enactment of Medieval Times at your table, seriously. Let's go through some scenarios:
1. The Bread, otherwise known as "Traitors to the Kingdom," will be impaled by the soldier's guard and then dunked in steaming hot cheese for their crimes. Then, their remains will be consumed by ravenous lions.
It works, right? How about the main course?
2. The Meat, otherwise known as "The Barbarians" are assaulting all of Europe proper. The only defense is to use flaming hot naphtha and douse them in the oil, boiling them alive. Uh, and then spearing them.
Okay, on to desert....
3. Desert, otherwise known as HOLY GOD THEYRE GIVING ME CHEESECAKE TO DUNK IN CHOCOLATE OOHOHHHMYGOD
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YESSSS- This place rocks! Lover's tables are the cutest and coziest ever. Order the Big Night Out menu. It's amazing. It comes with a choice of salad, and fondue cheese appetizer course consisting of apples, carrots, cauliflower and celery, as well as a selection of rye, pumpernickel and french bread which are all bottomless. OMG.
Then the main course is 6 different meats that come to the table raw and you cook them yourself at your table. It's really fun. Also comes with veggies (broccolli, potatoes, squash and mushrooms) which are all bottomless.
Next is dessert- prepare to die and go to heaven. Chocolate fondue (there are I think 6 different varieties- ranging from chocolate peanut butter to oreo chocolate to chocolate caramel and on an on...) comes with strawberries, bananas, pound cake, cheesecake, brownies, marshmallows. WOW. Order the Ying Yang Cocktail it's soo yummy.
I love this place. It's romantic, fun and makes for a great night out to celebrate a special occasion. I highly reccomend you check out the Melting Pot.
Also our server Max deserves a 5 star rating. He was excellent and informative. Thank you!
Cheese. Glorious cheese! So the prices are high, but the ambiance is tres cool. I'd never eaten in a brick kiln before & most likely neither have you!
The options for fondue suit every palate. There is sweet, savory, just plain yummy... you get the drift. The drinks are awesome. One time my mojito arrived with something that didn't quite belong, but it was replaced twice fold & promptly.
I have been here with a single date & with a group. It's just an excellent place for any occasion. My date & I had a great time & the group night was accommodated & never hushed. The only problem I had was with a Ladies' Night, but this wasn't the restaurant's fault. The price was supposed to be $35 apiece & I got out of there for closer to $70 & having had only one alcoholic beverage. I think my group didn't split the bill correctly, but I would recommend you checking with the waitstaff on what the gratuity is for groups of 8 or more. I think it could be a little outrageous & you may want to divide your large group.
Don't go here if you're in a hurry. Fondue is meant to be eaten slowly & enjoyed. I had a show to get to in SF on one date night & The Melting Pot was not a good choice when you're rushed.
Melt away!
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Everyone can tell you first impression really counts, with this restaurant my first impression wasn't great. (Especially for person with a little claustrophobe.) Give it a little time to adjust you can forget about the claustrphobe seen. My reason for giving it a 5 stars, is perhaps the food was better then I thought. The portion seems to be small but it's not, it's really filling. And the best is saved for last, the dessert fondue is to die for, the ying-yang chocolate fondue is delicious. The deco is romantic, the staffs are really friendly, all in all great experiences.
my hubby and I had our anniversary dinner here and it was beautiful. the food was great although next time i would skip the main course and just get the cheese fondue then the oh so yummy flaming turtle chocolate fondue, mmmm I can still taste it. we were seated on "lover's lane" and had our picture taken and framed.
the staff was pretty cool, not too "cheesy" :P
i saw a group of girls there too that were having their own girls nite out and we also saw a family with different aged kids so this restaurant is good for everybody
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I'm not a fan of cheese or cooking my own food when I eat out, so why the hell do I love this place? Easy-- the atmosphere is awesome and the dessert heavenly! I also discovered one of my favorite drinks here, the yin and yang.
I've been to 2 different Melting Pot locations. One at this historic brick kiln in Larkspur and another one in Arizona. I loved both experiences but I must say that I love the idea of dining in the bat cave in Larkspur!!!
The food is all fondue for crying out loud so why do I like it so much? The amosphere is geared towards fun. The wine list is comprehensive and there is actually good wine sold by the glass. Hey, it's like the "Outback" for Marin customers.
Valentines Day was my very first "fondue" experience. I was surprised that we were able to get a last minute seat at 10:00PM! For the record, I would never want a reservation that late again, because I just felt like going to sleep af