Melting Pot — Restaurant in Red Bank

Today, my husband and I went to the Melting Pot to celebrate my birthday. We were seated immediately and were told that our server would be with us shortly. We waited about 10 minutes, and no one had come by yet. We were able to flag down the manager and let him know, he said that our server had to deal with a burn at the next table over and that's why she was delayed. We had no problem with that, but instead of taking our drink order he just walked away.

Then we waited another 10 minutes and our server finally made an appearance and asked for our drink orders. Right after we put the drink orders in, the manager comes by and asks us if we want to put our drink orders in. We say that we just did and then he walks away again. We felt that he should have taken our food orders since it had been nearly half an hour and no one had taken our food orders yet.

Finally, our server is freed up and comes to take our food order. What kind of irked us, was that she didn't apologize for making us wait for over 30 minutes. We put our orders and let her know we were celebrating my birthday. We get our food as quickly as one generally gets served at The Melting Pot. The rest of the night was pretty much fine, she never stopped by to ask us if we needed more drinks. The only time she asked us if we needed more dippers, would be when we were obviously done eating.

At some point, the manager came back and gave us a coupon for free dessert for 2(for our next visit), to compensate for our poor service at the beginning of the meal. We took it, however we are not sure if we want to come back since the restaurant is about an hour away from our home.

When dessert came around, we expected something special for my birthday (apparently they give you a small plate of chocolate or something for any type of celebration). We didn't receive anything of the sort, just our ordered chocolate fondue.

On our way out, the hostess asked us how are meal was. We were frank with her and told her about the delays at the beginning of the meal and our lack of birthday treat. She agreed that it was not acceptable and that she would relay our comments back to the manager.

We believe that the manager did not do a good job fixing the issues that arose; we don't totally blame the server for the lack of attention for the first 30 minutes of our dinner, the manager should have dealt with it better and we shouldn't have had to reach out. However, we do blame the server for forgetting about my birthday treat and her subpar service. It all just left a sour taste in our mouths since we drove an hour to get to the restaurant. Let me also mention, that the restaurant is not a cheap one, so we expected more from our experience.

We probably will not be coming back, it just doesn't seem...

Modified 1/5/2019: please see original review below

A Manager from melting pot replied to my original review and provided his phone number. I called and spoke with Matt who was kind, apologetic, and extremely service oriented. He asked if I'd be willing to return. I was since as I stated before, the food was excellent.

When I arrived I asked for Matt, and was seated quickly with no reservation.

Our experience this time was absolutely amazing. Our server was fast, attentive, and interactive. As a matter of fact we will be going back and asking for her again, since she was amazing.

To say the least our experience this time was exponentially better than our last visit. I am the first to admit you can't judge any place by just one visit and am so happy I gave them another shot because they delivered in a big way.

I'm pleased to change my review from two stars to five because I really do like this restaurant.

I would happily recommend it to friends based on my most recent experience. Original Review:

I never write reviews, but I was so upset by my experience I felt the need to share.

This review would be 5 stars if we had a better waitress. The food was great, the service was horrific for the place having only four other tables. The servers around us were informative, attentive, and fast. Ours was absent, aloof, and disinterested. We went to this melting pot frequently before it closed and am sad to say I was seriously turned off to the restaurant due to the service this time.

Some examples of the service issues:

-Our server was standing behind the bar versus coming over even though no one was seated there -We thought she was finally going to bring our main course but she had to come back to ask our cooking style after being gone for 10 minutes -We had two salads, she messed up one of those -Everything was just slow, but she was super quick to come by to pick up our signed check to see her tip -She went out the front door twice during our meal. -We ordered a bottle of wine and even that was slow to come despite her being behind the bar

You go to melting pot for an experience, and on this visit the experience was completely lost. The food was great but the service left us with a bad taste...

We recently had the pleasure of dining at The Melting Pot in Red Bank, NJ, and the experience was nothing short of extraordinary. From the moment we walked in, the ambiance was warm and inviting, setting the stage for an unforgettable evening.

Our server, Jessica, truly elevated the entire dining experience with her exceptional service. From the moment we were seated, her friendly demeanor and genuine enthusiasm created an atmosphere that felt both welcoming and comfortable. Jessica's passion for the culinary artistry of fondue was evident, as she effortlessly guided us through the menu with a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm.

What truly stood out was Jessica's ability to strike the perfect balance between professionalism and approachability. She was not only well-versed in the intricacies of the fondue experience but also eager to engage in conversation, making us feel like valued guests rather than mere customers.

As we embarked on our culinary journey, Jessica's recommendations were spot-on, reflecting her deep understanding of the menu. Her attentiveness ensured that our dining experience flowed seamlessly, allowing us to savor every moment and each delectable bite.

The Melting Pot's concept of interactive dining is brought to life by the attentive and personable staff, with Jessica as a shining example. Her commitment to ensuring our satisfaction was evident, as she checked in at the perfect intervals, ensuring our needs were met without ever feeling intrusive.

In addition to the exceptional service, the food itself was a revelation. The carefully curated selection of cheeses, meats, and decadent chocolates for dessert provided a sensory journey that delighted our taste buds. The Melting Pot's commitment to quality ingredients and inventive flavor combinations truly made for a memorable dining experience.

In conclusion, our evening at The Melting Pot in Red Bank, NJ, was a culinary adventure that exceeded all expectations. Jessica's outstanding service, combined with the restaurant's commitment to excellence, made for a dining experience that will be etched in our memories for years to come. If you're seeking a place where impeccable service, delightful ambiance, and exquisite flavors converge, The Melting Pot is undoubtedly the...