Melba’s
“At least, for me it's more than just is the food good, the service has got to work and here the service is peerless in Harlem.”
“I forgot it was an eggnog waffle and as I was eating I was thinking to myself, "why does this waffle taste so different than a normal waffle?"”
“Had the catfish and waffles, with mac n cheese, collard greens, and potato salad (yeah, I know, I'm greedy…lol).”
Melba’s
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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Went to Harlem to look for Mase and good Soul food. I found one, hello Melba's.
Had a weekend brunch here with a group. I had the pleasure of trying the Chicken and Waffles $13.95, Fried Chicken and Grits $11.95, and French Toast $8.95.
All of the dishes were on point, but the grits and toast stood out the most for me.
The staff here is very nice.
Soul food at its best. All of the classics from fried chicken to country catfish to braised short ribs are in the mix here. Don't forget the sides because the Mac n cheese and sautéed spinach could be entrees on their own.
The first time I visited NYC, my friend attempted to find me some good fried chicken. She failed the first time, but she redeemed herself with a reservation at Melba's. The food? Delicious! I ordered the fried chicken, mac & cheese, and greens. Everything was so good and inexpensive. The service was great and I felt so welcomed when I walked in the door. I'll definitely be visiting Melba's on my next trip.
Nestled right in harlem is this beautiful small resturant. I have heard of melba's before but to finally eat there all i have to say is wow.
I had the beef ribs with mac n cheese and it was delicious. The meat falls right off the rib bone and they must have made it especially for me because that is the way i love it.
The prices were reasonable considering the type of reaturant i was in.
I will be coming back to try many of the wonderful sounding things on the menu.
I absolutely loved my experience at Melba's. The vibe, the food, the service, everything was on point. My friend and I came on a Wednesday evening at around 7 and not too soon after the place had quickly filled up. It is a bit small but from what I witnessed, they do their best to accommodate groups. I would highly recommend making a reservation.
My friend assured me that the food usually arrives in a timely manner, so I chose to skip the appetizer. For my entree I had the Country Catfish with potato salad and collard greens. Everything was so well seasoned. I can't even stress how delightful it was. I've had too many tasteless fried fish dishes in this city. Melba's will show you how it's done. The collard greens tasted like my grandma's (this is a good thing!), and the potato salad might've just been the best I've ever tasted. I also had the "Rose In Harlem" cocktail and it was the perfect complement.
The service was great; our waiter was friendly, attentive, and available. I'm just mad I don't remember his name to give him the props that are due to him, especially since he prevented me from leaving without my credit card! The vibe is great, the music was the first thing I noticed when I walked in. My experience at Melba's was great from start to finish and I can't wait to go back soon!
We came here with two friends for an anniversary brunch. We ordered the chicken and waffles, salmon croquettes with grits and cat fish and I got a mimosa. A buttery raisin scone came out first which was buttery and light. The fried chicken (dark meat…) was so delicious, I am daydreaming about it now: not greasy, moist on the inside and a thin crunchy fried coating on the outside. The grits were delicious and I'm in love: I never had them this good! The waffle and strawberry butter was fluffy and light. The salmon croquettes were delicious and full of salmon deliciousness and so perfectly cooked and moist with just enough breading, and the catfish was some of the best I have ever had: lightly battered and fluffy. All the food was spot on, I hope to return soon for their dinner menu. The service was warm and inviting. The place was packed but somehow not too loud nor crammed; instead it felt lively, warm, and welcoming and was a great meetup place for old friends. I am coming back here for sure! Thank you Melba's!!
This was my first visit here for brunch and I was pretty excited to try the soul food here. My friend made reservations for us which seems to be necessary as the place is small and gets really packed for weekend brunch. We were seated right away but then we just sat there waiting for our server. Our waiter was pretty much unavailable most of the time, we waited quite a while after being seated for water and the menu. Once we placed our orders, I asked our server for the drink menu because in my mind it's not a real brunch without some alcohol. After about 10 minutes our server still had not come by to check on anything or bother bringing the drink menu, finally my friend got his attention and reminded him about the menu. While most times I'm pretty relax and understanding if servers are very busy, the experience felt very unorganized and the service was practically non-existent. We both ordered the smothered fried chicken and eggnog waffles. I must say that the food was delicious! The smothered chicken was absolutely amazing, the gravy was so good and the sweetness of the waffle made it the perfect combination. I'm a big chicken and waffles fan and I really think this was one of the best I've had. Honestly if my review was about the food alone then it would be 5 stars but the service was just lacking. If you want to try some delicious smothered chicken and waffles I would definitely recommend, just be aware that service does not appear to be a strong suit here.
So glad I got the chance to enjoy Melba's!
The place is quite smaller than I expected but there was a steady flow. The service was great and very attentive. Samantha seated us and Raquain waited on us. Both were attentive and pleasant.
Everything was delicious. Each of us ordered a different dish: The fish strips, the chicken and Eggnog waffle and the Fried chicken with rice and beans with spinach.
Fro dessert, we shared the Coconut Cake and the Red Velvet Cake. Both were equally yummy and satisfying.
I look forward to going back!