The Melting Pot

With so many new additions to the local Old Town Pasadena dining scene, we haven't had time to really try all of them. So, we decided to take a stab at whittling down the list. For our wedding anniversary, my husband and I decided to do something completely different and try this fondue experience. I called on a Friday and was able to get an early reservation for that Sunday evening. They easily accommodated our special seating requirements and inquired about a special occasion. For a nominal fee, they helped make the evening special with balloons, some fondue chocolate to take home and a framed photograph to help us commemorate our anniversary. The staff was very friendly and open to answering all of our questions about sauces and cooking methods. They were also very attentive without being annoying. \r \r My husband and I tried the ""Big Night Out""...which I think for a first time...was a good choice. It allowed us to try all 4 courses without having to make too many decisions. We enjoyed the Quattro Formaggi (4 cheese) first course with veggies, bread, and tortilla chips. My California salad was nice with a tangy raspberry viniagrette and walnuts. My husband wasn't too impressed with his Caesar salad though. For our entree we chose the Bourguignonne and with the Fondue Feast. This offered us a selection of meats and shrimp with several different types of sauces. For dessert, we tried the hazelnut/chocolate fondue. It was a very sweet way to end the evening.\r \r I definitely recommend it for a fun special occasion dining experience. It's not one of those spur of the moment places. As other reviewers have noted, you have to make reservations to be guaranteed a table. This is because eating here is the definition of a dining EXPERIENCE. Our meal lasted over 3 hours. They don't have a lot of table turnover here. Also, it's definitely not cheap. For the two of us, our dinner was about $100 with no wine. Give it a try! Pros: friendly staff, easy valet accessible more

Perfect place for your first date! Everyone there is friendly and the food is unique! What's more romantic than chocolate fondue for desert? One thing that will drive you insane is that you'll probably have to make reservation weeks earlier for any weekend appointments. They offer private sections for special events, that is just awesome. Pros: Awesome good, great environment Cons: Always fully booked more

Perfect place for your first date! Everyone there is friendly and the food is unique! What's more romantic than chocolate fondue for desert? One thing that will drive you insane is that you'll probably have to make reservation weeks earlier for any weekend appointments. They offer private sections for special events, that is just awesome. Pros: Awesome good, great environment Cons: Always fully booked more

Ok - its expensive. The atmosphere is very nice, and service is great, but too much food! Never having been before, my husband and I ordered their BIG NIGHT OUT. Its was delcious, but when it came to dessert, we had to ask them to bag it up for us. It appears that we aren't the only ones with this problem, as they sent us home with a brick of chocolate to melt with all of our dessert fixings. Total bill for the Big Night Out, two bottles of wine, and wonderful service (for which we tipped 20%) was $185. Not cheap, but for a special occasion was totally worth it.\r Just if you go - order ala cart! Pros: Cheesy goodness, great meats, very fun... Cons: Pricy... and PARKING!!! more

Ok - its expensive. The atmosphere is very nice, and service is great, but too much food! Never having been before, my husband and I ordered their BIG NIGHT OUT. Its was delcious, but when it came to dessert, we had to ask them to bag it up for us. It appears that we aren't the only ones with this problem, as they sent us home with a brick of chocolate to melt with all of our dessert fixings. Total bill for the Big Night Out, two bottles of wine, and wonderful service (for which we tipped 20%) was $185. Not cheap, but for a special occasion was totally worth it. Just if you go - order ala cart! Pros: Cheesy goodness, great meats, very fun... Cons: Pricy... and PARKING!!! more

this restaurant had good ambience from the moment you walk in. the thing is.. when the waiter is telling you about the menu, it takes AT LEAST 15 min. and then it takes another half hour to get your food, and then another half hour to COOK your OWN FOOD. the food wasnt all that great. the dessert was pretty good though. i think i'd come back only to have dessert. more

this restaurant had good ambience from the moment you walk in. the thing is.. when the waiter is telling you about the menu, it takes AT LEAST 15 min. and then it takes another half hour to get your food, and then another half hour to COOK your OWN FOOD. the food wasnt all that great. the dessert was pretty good though. i think i'd come back only to have dessert. more

I love their chocolate. I have been here several times and I can't wait to go back. I have tried just about almost all of the different kinds of dessert fondue .. my favorite is a toss between the Flaming Turtle and Cookies n'Cream. I recommend skipping the dinner and go somewhere else but come here for dessert. It is only $16 but very well worth it. You can skip the reservation and just head straight to the bar for chesse and chocolate anytime. Pros: Good Dessert Menu more

I love their chocolate. I have been here several times and I can't wait to go back. I have tried just about almost all of the different kinds of dessert fondue .. my favorite is a toss between the Flaming Turtle and Cookies n'Cream. I recommend skipping the dinner and go somewhere else but come here for dessert. It is only $16 but very well worth it. You can skip the reservation and just head straight to the bar for chesse and chocolate anytime. Pros: Good Dessert Menu more

The food and experience was great. I hope that your hungry because we ordered the big night out which consisted a 4 course meal. Chees fondue, saled, main course and chocolate fondue. It is deffinetly worth the price. I think if you are looking for a nice date night out, this is a great place. its not just sitting there, ordering food and then going home. The whole experience will last about 2 hours. The service is really good. The only down fall was that we made reservations online for 5:45 with a window seat. When we arrived all of the wondow seats where taken and we didn't get seated intil 6:30. The wines on the wine list were not available (2 to be exact) but other then that I had a great time and enjoyed the whole experience. Pros: Experience Cons: Not all wines available on the wine list more

The food and experience was great. I hope that your hungry because we ordered the big night out which consisted a 4 course meal. Chees fondue, saled, main course and chocolate fondue. It is deffinetly worth the price. I think if you are looking for a nice date night out, this is a great place. its not just sitting there, ordering food and then going home. The whole experience will last about 2 hours. The service is really good. The only down fall was that we made reservations online for 5:45 with a window seat. When we arrived all of the wondow seats where taken and we didn't get seated intil 6:30. The wines on the wine list were not available (2 to be exact) but other then that I had a great time and enjoyed the whole experience. Pros: Experience Cons: Not all wines available on the wine list more

The food is ok, not exceptional. You are going here more for the ambeience and experience. We ordered the 5 course melting potfondue for two. It was a 3 hour excursion. But well worth it. Its a place thats fun to try once. Probably wouldn't go back more then a couple times of a year to entertain out of town guests. But it is fun place to take people who dont' have one locally. Pros: Fun ambience, excellent wine selectin, friendly servers Cons: Limited menu more

The food is ok, not exceptional. You are going here more for the ambeience and experience. We ordered the 5 course melting potfondue for two. It was a 3 hour excursion. But well worth it. Its a place thats fun to try once. Probably wouldn't go back more then a couple times of a year to entertain out of town guests. But it is fun place to take people who dont' have one locally. Pros: Fun ambience, excellent wine selectin, friendly servers Cons: Limited menu more

This place is a lot of fun. Be prepared to be there a couple hours. We asked for a booth and got our own private little area. Very nice and romantic. the food was good. very filling. It was everything we expected. Pros: Fun. You do it yourself more

This place is a lot of fun. Be prepared to be there a couple hours. We asked for a booth and got our own private little area. Very nice and romantic. the food was good. very filling. It was everything we expected. Pros: Fun. You do it yourself more

I was concerned about the bad reviews, but I decided to give this place a try nonetheless. The concept sounded interesting, worth at least a try. Everyone seems to agree it is a good looking establishment, and that it is. The food is not great, but it's definitely interesting, nowhere as bad as some of the reviewers claim it is either. And maybe it is because I went there on a Monday, when it is not as busy, but service was surprisingly good. I just requested a booth, but the wife and I were seated in what they call the "lover's lane" (corny), a private room with a few booths designed just for couples. Very quiet, very nice. Our server was friendly, polite, attentive, and enthusiastic, which is exactly what I expect from someone who's gonna pocket $30-$40 of my money just for greeting me and bringing a few plates of food. When I go out to eat, I don't do it just for the food. I want a pleasant experience: agreeable fare, nice surroundings, and proper service. Price comes second (now this place ain't cheap, but it isn't expensive either). MP provided them all, so as far as this diner is concerned, this place is top notch. Pros: Fun concept, service, ambience more

I was concerned about the bad reviews, but I decided to give this place a try nonetheless. The concept sounded interesting, worth at least a try.\r \r Everyone seems to agree it is a good looking establishment, and that it is. The food is not great, but it's definitely interesting, nowhere as bad as some of the reviewers claim it is either. And maybe it is because I went there on a Monday, when it is not as busy, but service was surprisingly good. I just requested a booth, but the wife and I were seated in what they call the ""lover's lane"" (corny), a private room with a few booths designed just for couples. Very quiet, very nice. Our server was friendly, polite, attentive, and enthusiastic, which is exactly what I expect from someone who's gonna pocket $30-$40 of my money just for greeting me and bringing a few plates of food. \r \r When I go out to eat, I don't do it just for the food. I want a pleasant experience: agreeable fare, nice surroundings, and proper service. Price comes second (now this place ain't cheap, but it isn't expensive either). MP provided them all, so as far as this diner is concerned, this place is top notch. Pros: Fun concept, service, ambience more

Food is always good.. Been to the Irvine one but first time in Pasadena. Reservations were made for a party of 4, we were seated at a table, not a booth. I didn't like the table, because it only had ONE hot plate. This means that even though there are different varieties for cheese and the base, because of the one hot plate, all 4 people need to agree on what to order. Asked for a both, since there were 2 empty booths. Our rsvp was for 7:45pm, told there were larger parties with rsvp. Fine. At 8:40pm, thse 2 booths were still empty. I was told that they were holding onto these booths because of rsvp for an 8 and 8:30. I asked how long they hold the reservations. No response in particular. Was told that if a booth becomes available, they will seat us. Eventually at 9pm, we were moved to a booth. Much better. \r \r Summary: food was good, wine was good. Our waiter was good, but not fond of the service we received when trying to move to a booth, from management. Holding a reservation for 30 min????!!! Afterwards, I asked if they took the Cozmo Card, which is a discount card for 15% off, which was taken at the Irivne location. A female who said she was the manager (I never saw her before, I inquired twice to a male that looked like the manager.) And I inquired twice), told me that they do not take this card AND that she managed the Irvine location and she never heard of it. That's just ridiculous. Go to CozmoCard website and you will see other location in Irvine with 15% off, the Pasadena location is not listed.\r \r ALWAYS ask for a booth if you have a party of 4 or more. There are 2 hot pots, so you can have move varieties ordering 2 different cheese types as well as boullion and/or oil. more

Food is always good.. Been to the Irvine one but first time in Pasadena. Reservations were made for a party of 4, we were seated at a table, not a booth. I didn't like the table, because it only had ONE hot plate. This means that even though there are different varieties for cheese and the base, because of the one hot plate, all 4 people need to agree on what to order. Asked for a both, since there were 2 empty booths. Our rsvp was for 7:45pm, told there were larger parties with rsvp. Fine. At 8:40pm, thse 2 booths were still empty. I was told that they were holding onto these booths because of rsvp for an 8 and 8:30. I asked how long they hold the reservations. No response in particular. Was told that if a booth becomes available, they will seat us. Eventually at 9pm, we were moved to a booth. Much better. Summary: food was good, wine was good. Our waiter was good, but not fond of the service we received when trying to move to a booth, from management. Holding a reservation for 30 min????!!! Afterwards, I asked if they took the Cozmo Card, which is a discount card for 15% off, which was taken at the Irivne location. A female who said she was the manager (I never saw her before, I inquired twice to a male that looked like the manager.) And I inquired twice), told me that they do not take this card AND that she managed the Irvine location and she never heard of it. That's just ridiculous. Go to CozmoCard website and you will see other location in Irvine with 15% off, the Pasadena location is not listed. ALWAYS ask for a booth if you have a party of 4 or more. There are 2 hot pots, so you can have move varieties ordering 2 different cheese types as well as boullion and/or oil. more

My Husband and I had dinner here and it turned out to be VERY disappointing. We ordered the Big Night Out the cheese fondue was OK but the main course was awful. The one good thing about our meal was the dessert. I did like the idea of courses too bad it turned out to taste so bad. Pros: Ambience Cons: Food more