Mel’s Burger Bar
“They do offer other delicious burgers, salads and appetizers as well along with signature sides such as garlic fries or sweet potatoes fries.”
“They have a "Brew Crew" which you can be a member of if you drink all of the 30 beers listed (obviously not in one night).”
“She ordered the Dirty Hipster, I forgot what I went with but it had bacon onion rings and an egg.”
Mel’s Burger Bar
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Accepts Apple Pay: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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Okay, so I would probably give it a 3.5. I loved the experience but the food didn't rock my socks.
We had a really comfortable booth for a party of 6. The atmosphere was pretty cool though at times it had a dark and lonely feel. When we first got there at 12 it was pretty empty but slowly filled up. Almost every table had parties with kids. I guess kids love burgers???
Anyway, I came on a groupon deal 2 burgers and 64 oz growler for $29. Pretty good deal.
We ordered the cider they had on tap. It was really tasty but I'm under the impression the cider on tap may change often. I ordered the cowboy burger without the mushrooms. Idk. I just wasn't in love with it. I mean it didn't stop me from eating the whole thing lol but I've had similar burgers that were better and cheaper. The bun was also really small (what's up with that?). So no matter how I tried to eat it-it was just messy! Couldn't hold it. Couldn't cut it. Sigh. Trying to cut it-you go right through the paper they serve the burgers on. We all realized we were essentially eating on the table after a point. The fries were pretty good. Not the best-but good!
I also like the fact you can substitute any burger for turkey, veggie or chicken!
Our Waiter was really good. Efficient, nice, etc.
I won't be rushing back! If I do go back, I'd try the veggie or chicken since I wasn't overly impressed with the beef burger.
Mels is my go to place for that comforting burger and LARGE milkshakes.
I've been coming here for years and they never have disappointed!!
It encompasses that really chill burger joint meets a laid back bar.
Bathrooms are CO-ED interesting right?
Full service bar if your just looking to grab a drink and watch a game.
The ambience is very chill and they have a huge MELS sign lit up with old school bulbs inside. Pretty cool. Staff is really friendly and I have never had a problem with waiting too long for food.
There burgers are cooked to order which my preference is usually medium, they don't overcook the burgers, which is surprising because a lot of places do.
They have a vast amount of burgers to choose from, and they are a haven for alcoholic and non-alcholic milkshakes. There appetizers are not impressive. In general the nachos and spinach artichoke dip just don't do it. BURGER AND MILKSHAKE.
For personal preference I've tried the alcoholic milkshakes and Ive never been a fan of mixing alcohol with my ice-cream "happy spot" so I just order non-alcoholic milkshakes. Ive ordered the alcoholic milkshakes and they are STRONG. It took away from the ice-cream flavor which is when I knew it wasn't for me, but if thats what your looking for…get to drinking!! Milkshakes range from that cookie filled oreo cookies and cream to the milkshake of the month. Cookies and Cream I believe is called the cookie monster..my favorite. They bring it out in a tin can and you pour it into your glass milkshake cup as you watch the chunk of cookies struggle to exit the tin can while you try to scoop it out with your spoon. So delicious.
Burgers range from your typical Burger with mac n cheese and bacon, to the simplicity of a regular burger. They have all these different names for these fancy contraptions such as the Cadillac, widowmaker, nurse betty. There all very very yummy!!
My favorite is the widowmaker;
Mac N cheese, bacon, served on a fluffy potato bun!! I also sometimes enjoy just the classic burger. Any burger here is a good burger. You will not be disappointed.
If you order waffle fries. SHARE. They are pretty awesome perfect combination between fluffy and crunchy exterior the only problem is they usually get left behind a lot because of ordering a burger and milkshake, YOU WILL BE STUFFED! Or not?
All in all one of my favorite place on the upper west side to grab a burger and milkshake. On a very positive note the burgers are better than five guys across the street and not overly oily.
I absolutely love a good burger, and this place did not disappoint. We ordered some sides of fries and they are big enough to share with your table. I got the widow maker burger which is covered in Mac and cheese and bacon (not for the faint of heart) and it was AMAZING (other than how messy it was). I also ordered a mint John Daly which was light and refreshing. It's a tad expensive for a burger place though.
Amazing burger and brunch spot in this neighborhood! Lowkey, laid back environment with a full range of bar drinks and delicious burgers. I ordered a Classic Turkey Burger and fries cause I'm boring, but the have some pretty off the wall choices like a burger with mac n cheese and other joices chock full with jalapeños, cheeses, bacon, onion rings, pico de gallo and guac- all for around $12. I recommend the famous Disco Fries or the Parmasesn Jalapeño- delicious full of savory touches.
As for brunch (weekends and holidays til' 4) $30 will buy you unlimited Bloody Mary's, Mimosas or Screwdrivers plus and entree (STRAWBERRY CROISSANT FRENCH TOAST IS LIFE). Pretty generous sized drinks and portions too!
Mel's was on Daily Meal's top 100 burgers list last year, so you better believe I had to check it out. I mean, it's literally 5 blocks from me so there's really no excuse. The place is dark with lots of little classy-ish decor touches, and is actually quite big. We opted to sit outside, which didn't have the the best view–unless you love looking at traffic on W110th–but it was nice outside. Service wasn't very attentive but that might have had to do with us being out there. Even so it took quite awhile the get the bill after we were done.
The beer list here is alright but lighter beers dominate. I got a Gun Hill God Ale which was crisp, refreshing and made a few miles away in the Bronx. There were a couple other decent options as well (Ithaca Flower Power, Founders). My girlfriend got an Arnold Palmer which she loved. I order the Dirty Hipster (jack cheese, spinach/artichoke dip, onion rings) medium rare. Burger patty was clearly good quality but it was overcooked a good amount. Even so it did have good flavor although it was a bit on the small side. Next time I'll ask for it rare as they don't seem to monitor the grill closely enough for mid-rare. The toppings did a good job of distracting me from this issue though. While they used too much dip and it ended up making the onion rings soggy, I can't argue with this topping combo. It was a messy, flavorful burger but an enjoyable one at that. The sweet potato fries we got were pretty good but not worth the $7.50 price tag. My girlfriend got the French Onion (melted swiss, horseradish, carmelized onions, au jus to dip) and enjoyed it thoroughly given that I didn't manage a taste.
The burgers here are a bit gimmicky but I can't deny that I enjoyed them. I just wish they manned the grill more closely. While this wasn't the home run I was hoping for I will give it a shot again in the future. Plenty of other topping combos worth trying on the menu–just ordering rare next time.
Good but not extraordinary. They do have an incredible veggie burger, I definitely recommend it. Milkshakes are pretty good and definitely sized to share. My issue with this place was the service- though we went early on a week night, and there were few customers, the staff took awhile to bring small requests (like mayonnaise, more water). They also overlooked some requests. If you're in the area looking for a burger, good choice. Otherwise don't trek out here. Go to Lilie's instead 😉
We came in at around 8 on a Friday and walked right in. They have really good drinks, strong, lots of choices, and lots of different cocktails. I got the haymaker, and for $8 it was pretty good and pretty strong.
I ordered the iceburg salad because I was in the mood for lettuce…7/10…kind of sloppily put together but not bad.
Fried pickles were super good, sweet potato fries were also pretty good, but seems like the burgers are the go to (duh), as my burger babe ordered one and it looked classic and like a normal portion, not one of those man vs food burgers.
They have a large bar area and huge tables for big parties and it gets pretty loud. The service was really nice and fast.
So, I know nothing of the UWS, but if for whatever reason you're up here, this is a great option. It's medium-causal, so not fast food panera but also not white tablecloths and good start to a night out.
Burger was raw…need I say more?
Yeah, let's elaborate, shall we?
$9.75 Cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, pickles, no onions on potato bun. It is basically paying an extra dollar to add cheese.
My burger looked like an average, slightly pitiful diner burger. The outside of the patty looked cooked, but as I bit deeper into it, it was very clearly undercooked. At first I just thought it was more rare than I was used to. But there was no way I could finish that, & I always finish my food. The meat did not even come together during the cooking process. It pretty much only had a sear on the outside.
$12.50 Dirty Hipster – spinach dip, jack cheese, onion rings on a potato bun
Mr. Joy's burger was cooked a little bit more, but still somewhat of the same raw meat, which was hidden under a mountain of spinach dip. The spinach dip was so thick and heavy, just too much.
Mr. Joy said the fries were good. I guess they were. I'm not a French fry aficionado.
$14 Loaded nachos with beef, beans, pico de gallo, sour cream, avocado vinaigrette, cheese
The nacho plate is massive. It feeds about 2-3 people. Other than its size, I wasn't impressed with the nachos. But for $14, I guess they need to deliver on quantity.
Mel's does have a good selection of beer and sells growlers. So that's nice, but I don't drink much at home.
I thought the restaurant and service were okay, but I got to give it 1 star for the raw meat. That's a big no-no. I didn't even want to bother asking them to remake it. If they made two raw burgers, I doubt the third one will be much better. I just wanted to get out of there.