The Melting Pot - Irvine

A fun resturant for a date or with friends. it is a fundo place that always has a wait so get a reservation befor you walk out the door

The food was delicious, and the menu is easy to navigate, especially for first-time visitors with the "Big Night Out" option. It's also great if you want to customize your meal a bit more. While the portion sizes aren't massive, with appetizers (like cheesy cheese), tasty salads, amazing duck dishes, and one of the best desserts I've ever had, the Big Night Out meal was fantastic. It is slightly on the pricier side, but absolutely worth it if you're looking to celebrate something special. The interactive dining experience, where you can dip and cook your own food, adds to the fun, and everything we tried tasted great! Two thumbs up! Just a tip: make sure to book your reservations early if you're planning to go on a weekend—ideally three weeks or more in advance—to secure your spot.

I can't express it any better than Mercurialvapor did. I attended a birthday party there, and the staff went above and beyond, offering cards and birthday wishes from other servers. It truly provided a unique and enjoyable culinary experience, perfect for larger gatherings and special occasions. The portion sizes aren’t overwhelmingly large, but if you’re in for a “big night out,” it’s just right, and you’ll leave feeling satisfied. The food was impressively fresh and delicious, and our server was both professional and friendly. Be sure to set aside a few hours to savor all the courses. I had an amazing time and would definitely consider coming back. However, making reservations can sometimes be a challenge.

If you haven't been to this restaurant before, here’s a breakdown of the experience: For the first course, you can choose between a salad or cheese fondue. If you opt for cheese, you can select your preferred cheese blend. We went with their "Big Night Out" mix, which had a delightful French theme. The fondue is served with apples, bread, and vegetables for dipping. The cheese was subtly flavored—less intense than something like Cheddar—and had a nice wine-like aftertaste. It’s entertaining to watch the server prepare the fondue right in front of you while explaining each ingredient. For the second course, you select a broth or sauce for dipping your main course. There are both standard and premium pots; the premium options are a bit pricier but come with richer ingredients. We chose the Coq Au Vin, which featured various meats, including filet mignon, shrimp, duck, chicken, and peppered beef. There was also an array of sauces for dipping and a few vegetables. This part of the meal is the slowest, as you need to wait for everything to cook. We couldn’t finish all the meat (it was a close call!), especially since we wanted to save room for dessert. The final course was chocolate fondue. We opted for the Big Night Out special, which is a crème brûlée white chocolate fondue. They even light the fire right before you! The dessert was absolutely incredible, featuring chocolate-covered marshmallows, graham cracker-coated marshmallows, brownies, cheesecakes, pound cake, strawberries, and bananas. Overall, the meal was fantastic. It is on the pricier side, but definitely worth it. Be sure to pair your meal with some wine; we enjoyed a flight of three French wines along with good company, making the 2-3 hours spent here a delightful experience.

I enjoy my food here.