The Melting Pot - Irvine

I don't think I could describe it better than Mercurialvapor. I also came to a birthday party and a server passed a card and other servers to say birthday wishes. it is definitely another and fun culinary experience, great for larger parties and special occasions. the dishes are not over the top large portion sizes, but if you go for the “big night out” it adds and you leave feeling filled. the food was surprisingly FRESH and very tasty, and our server was professional and yet friendly. Make sure a few hours aside as it takes to go through all courses. had a fabulous time and would definitely consider the return. Reservations sometimes seem difficult to make.

This place is excellent for special occasions. I came here for my girlfriend's birthday, and they had a card for her on the table, as well as a special dessert. And everyone wished her a happy birthday. It is as if the servers can almost read your mind, which is how perfect they time their coming and going, and the atmosphere is funny or romantic, depends on the opportunity and the table you receive. The food is delicious, and the format is easy to choose when you try a first timer (the prepacked big night), and also great if you want to adjust your meal a bit more. The portions are not huge, but with appetizers (cheese with cheese), delicious salads, amazing ducks and one of the best desserts I had, the Big Night Out meal was fantastic. Obviously it is a little on the expensive side, but it is definitely worth a shot if you never had it and want to celebrate something special. The best thing is, it's FUN. An interactive meal where you dip/cook your food, but it still tastes really good no matter what you do. Two thumbs high! = P Also a cave: make your reservations EARLY if you plan to be here on weekends (as in three weeks or more in advance), just to be safe.

I came for the restaurant week to have a nice meal. Despite the large number of tables, almost every table was packed. It makes sense to have a lot of tables if every meal takes 2-3 hours, so the restaurant cannot rely on high sales rate. Since servers in Melting Pot have to see the same faces for so long, it is no surprise that friendliness and great service is in great abundance. Our server was funny, informative and accommodating. If you haven't eaten here yet, here's how it works: course 1: salad or cheese fondue. If you pick cheese, choose the desired cheese mix. We had their Big Night Out mix that had a French theme. The fondue is complemented with apples, bread and vegetables for diving. The cheese had a subtle taste (less powerful than something like Cheddar and a wine-colored aftertaste. It is fun to watch the server, make the fondue right in front of you as they explain what each ingredient is. Course 2: You choose which soup/sew base you want to dip your main course. There are 2 types of diving pot: normal and premium. The premium stews cost a little more, but are filled with more tasteful ingredients. We chose Coq Au Vin and our meat was the “button of France”. There was a selection of meat, including fillet mignon, shrimp, duck, chicken and peppermint beef. There is a wide selection of sauces for diving and cooking a few vegetables. This is the slowest part of the meal you have to wait for cooking. We couldn't finish the whole meat (Haken close!, especially as we wanted to save space for dessert. Course 3: Chocolate fondue. We have the Big Night Out Special of the cream Brulee White Chocolate fondue. They even light the fire before you. The dessert is absolutely amazing: chocolate covered marshmallows, Graham cracker covered marshmallows, brownies, cheesecakes, pounds, strawberries and bananas. Overall, the meal was great. It's expensive, but it's worth it. Get some wines with the meal (we had a wine flight of 3 French wines and good company, and this 2-3 hours will be an explosion.

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

I enjoy my food here.