Restaurants in Haslett

When The Melting Pot originally opened in 1975 just outside Orlando, diners had just three options: swiss-cheese fondue, beef fondue, or chocolate fondue. The restaurant first expanded four years later, when an enterprising waiter at the initial location opened up a new outpost in Tallahassee. Today, the company—now owned by that original waiter, Mark Johnston, and his brothers Mike and Bob—stretches across North America with more than 140 restaurants linked by underground tunnels. The restaurant's menu has also expanded, and patrons can now expect six varieties of hot dipping cheese, paired with salads, meats, and molten chocolate.

Twenty-four hours a day, the chefs of Sandhill Café pacify growling tummies with a menu that spans the spectrum of American comfort food classics, from stacks of fluffy pancakes to bacon-cheddar cheeseburgers. Whether entertaining late-night hankerings for fried chicken and waffles, or celebrating Opposite Day by eating dinner for breakfast, diners can immerse themselves in the café’s laid-back, neighborhood feel, marked by its dark hardwood floors, subtle lighting, and TVs showing hotly contested staring contests.

Max's Wine Dive is renowned for its culinary-chutzpah-filled dinner menu, which turns chili dogs and burgers into gourmet flavors. Their fried chicken was deemed one of America's Best by Travel + Leisure. Try the signature Texas haute dog (a Strube Ranch Wagyu hot dog topped with your choice of beer-braised sauerkraut, Dijon mustard, pickles or chili, jalapenos, and cotija cheese, served with fried onion strings and frites; $14). Or opt for the Kobe beef burger (a Strube Ranch Wagyu Kobe beef burger with Belletoile triple-cream brie, in-house pickled jalapenos, local hothouse tomatoes, and organic Bibb lettuce, served with frites; $17), another favorite. If you're feeling ravenous, hang a fang in the all-you-can-eat fried chicken and waffles (chicken thigh, leg, and breast with jalapeno and buttermilk marinade, deep fried, served with a waffle; $19) during Sunday brunch. Woman's Day once named Max's grilled cheese (Gruyère, provolone, and roasted red pepper, served with a cup of tomato soup; $13) one of the 10 best in the nation.