Melograno

We visited on a early Saturday night during the long weekend and had a wonderful experience. The staff here are incredibly kind, professional, and welcoming. The mushroom pasta was bursting with flavor and had an amazing aroma. We also loved the unique appetizer, which was a delightful surprise and set the tone for a fantastic meal.

Melograno was a very pleasant and enjoyable Italian BYOB that I can best summarize as "nothing wrong with it but not impressive enough to return". While I liked the rustic Roman-inspired interior and the friendly staff, most of the food was simply fine and not especially remarkable. For a starter we ordered the gnocchi croquettes that embodied my feelings mentioned above; they were fluffy and pleasant but didn't leave too much of an impression, and they did feel a bit pricey for how small they were. The highlight of all the food was my pasta dish the "granchio", with crab, cherry tomatoes, bread crumbs, and a lemon cream sauce. It's probably the one thing we had that I would go out of my way to recommend as the flavors and textures were great, even if the cream sauce was a little thick bordering on coagulated. My wife's duck ragu on the other hand was much less compelling. The pasta was too soft leading to a mushy feeling dish, and the flavors were fine but didn't impress. Finally, desserts were par for the course. I ordered the daily special which was a caramel panna cotta (I think?) with whipped cream and blueberries which was ok, but tasted quite eggy which was unexpected. My wife had the tiramisu which was a generous portion and enjoyable enough, but also nothing special. I would certainly not dissuade anyone from trying Melograno, as it provided a very acceptably nice evening and it's a BYO which you can't complain about. Maybe some of the other dishes are more impressive that will have people coming back. For me however, it didn't do enough to justify a return when there are many similar restaurants in the area.

***DISCLAIMER THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR SERVER/WAIT STAFF*** My group had a really disappointing experience here. We were dining for about an hour and twenty minutes and our server was perfect! She told us to take our time which we greatly appreciated. Unfortunately, the manager had a very different attitude. A group waiting near the entrance kept eyeing our table, and we later realized the manager had promised it to them. The moment we finished our dessert — after also ordering four entrées. He came over and abruptly told us we needed to leave because he had people waiting. It felt rushed, uncomfortable, and completely unprofessional. If there’s a time limit, just say so upfront. Being told to “stay as long as you want” by a server and then pushed out by management is not how a restaurant should treat paying customers. We ended up spending a total of an hour and 25 minutes there when we all have spent way longer at other restaurants. We won’t be returning.

Delicious burrata and tiramisu were fabulous. Our server Amanda was perfectly accommodating. Well done

Great dinner last night at Melograno where I haven’t been for a long time. Happening block. Had a reservation which they honored quickly despite being crowded. Great server, attentive host, and the food was excellent and well priced. We shared appetizers and I had the pappardelle with duck ragu, and it was really delicious: you could tell the noodles were homemade . BYOB makes Melograno even more economical. The downside is the noise level is completely off the charts and hard to hear or talk without shouting. Lots of large parties and younger folks (good for them). I might go back … but on a weekday.

We came to Melograno on a whim for dinner and will definitely be going back, this time hungrier so we can experience more of their authentic Italian food. Atmosphere - we were seated near the window a bit far from the action, which gave us the perfect balance of getting a cozy, personal feeling while also being able to listen to the rest of the crowd (which included some older couples speaking Italian, always a good sign). It never got too loud, just a comfortable noise. The decor is simple, and you can see into the kitchen as you eat. No need to overdress here either, nice but casual should fit right in. Service - our server was great, food came pretty fast a fresh and we were never left wanting. Manager came around to each table to check on everything as well, which is always appreciated. Food - the menu is classic Italian with your apps, pasta entree, main course, and dessert. We only did an app and pastas, which were delicious. Can’t remember if the pasta is homemade, but it was high quality regardless and we both had rich sauces to go along with it. They also had 4 off menu specials, so while the menu might seem small there are further options. Drinks - BYOB Price - on par with what you’d expect in Rittenhouse, think around $10-$12 per app and around $25 per entree. Price felt fair and the quality of the food certainly met expectations. Italian and pasta fans should definitely check it out. Great place to go if you want a low-key night out and don’t feel like getting up charged for your drinks. Good for a date night or a small group.

I took my wife here for her birthday recently. Everything was quite good and the service was excellent. It is a good neighborhood Italian restaurant that compares favorably with the competition, and I wouldn't hesitate to go back. I used to play chess years ago with the maitre d who has worked there for quite a while and does an excellent job.

We have been to Melograno close to about 10x now. The pasta is spectacular and will blow you away. Every time we go we are always blown away by the quality of ingredients and service provided. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The seating is mostly close and intimate which brings a great vibe to this type of restaurant. When we travel in Philadelphia for events this is always are go to spot for a nice high quality dinner. I would highly recommend anyone to check them out for a wonderful night out to eat. They are a thumbs up in my book and will absolutely be back soon!

We had dinner tonight here. I had not eaten at Melograno for easily 15 years and used to go more often. It was a great experience. We were able to walk in though it was busy by the end of our meal. Our server was outstanding: friendly, knew the menu very well, was attentive without being intrusive. We also thought the manager was friendly and helpful. I had a pork chop entree and it was outstanding. Beautifully presented, cooked perfectly. My wife had an excellent mushroom pasta entree with truffles and walnuts. Excellent. There was a wonderful roasted cauliflower appetizer with a Gouda sauce and pancetta. That alone was worth the trip. Restaurant is very clean and looks like it's been updated recently. I highly recommend Melograno and will return.

Restaurant Week in Center City! Yahoo!!! A perfect way to explore restaurants I may not have gone to otherwise. The advantage for participating restaurants is when patrons are bowled over by their meals, they're likely to return. That's how I felt about Melograno and the deliciousness of dinner last Thursday. I made a reservation because a) the menu covered all bases, b) reviews are good, and c) it's byob, which already saves us money. The $40 three course prix-fixe includes appetizer, entree and dessert. We shared our first course. An arugula salad with prosciutto and shaved parmesan, dressed with a flavorful lemon vinaigrette. Pair that with fried burrata, red peppers, cherry tomatoes, gaeta olives, and fresh basil. Excellent combination. For his entree, T ordered spaghetti and sea bass, the chef's special of the night. Okay, now I'm starting to salivate: the verlasso salmon I ordered was perhaps the best salmon I've eaten. Ever! The grilled filet sat on a bed of fennel, carrots, onion and fingerling potatoes, enhanced with a light beurre blanc. I was impressed that the salmon was rare, exactly as requested, and the vegetables were perfect, lightly braised. I'm generally indifferent to carrots, but these were special. My husband ordered chocolate mousse, which I liked much better than my panna cotta. Translated as "cooked cream" ... with sugar and gelatin, I realized too late that jiggly panna cotta isn't my thing. If undecided, go with the mousse and its hidden surprise, a tiny brownie in the middle. Service, by the way is great. Even on a busy Restaurant Week evening, the staff is friendly and solicitous. You can linger as long as you'd like .... unless, of course another party's waiting for your table.

One of the best ragu dishes i've ever had! the duck ragu was very creamy, dense, and had a melt-in-your-mouth texture. i was stuck between that and the Granchio, but my friend got the granchio... i think the Ragu is better. restaurant is BYOB, so bring some wine or seltzers or whatever you desire. it was a busy and lovely ambiance, not unlike the vibes in the ratatouille movie (i know ratatouille is french). excellent service, our server is from Italy and was very knowledgeable and polite. had to make a reservation.

Upon arriving the restaurant looks smaller than it is on the outside. There's a decent amount of seating and we were able to get a reservation within a week before. It's BYOB here and they give a bucket with ice for your wine. The food itself was fine but nothing special. I got the Amatriciana. It wasn't anything special and not my favorite but it was okay! I think I just didn't like the meat but the sauce was yummy with a little kick. The server was attentive and the management went around checking in on us so great service overall.

I'm not sure why Melograno doesn't have a better overall rating!? We love this place and used to visit often pre-pandemic. We went back for the first time after the pandemic and it was as great as ever! It is BYOY, which I think is great and such a money saver! The prices are very reasonable and all of the food options sound great. We came here on a double date and ordered 2 appetizers, 4 pasta dishes and a chicken dish to share. I really enjoyed the polpo appetizer, the pasta with crab and my absolute favorite dish was the beet and ricotta ravioli. I loved that we all felt energized about the whole menu and most everything tasted great. I think the item I liked the least was the cacio e pepe; not enough flavor and way too saucy.

AMAZING experience, from the food to the service to the atmosphere, couldn't recommend this place enough!!

We came here for dinner on Saturday night and had a reservation. We were quickly seated and waited on. The restaurant is BYOB, which is awesome. We brought a bottle of red wine with us. We got the mortazza flatbread as an appetizer and it was amazing. Between the 3 of us, we ordered: fazzoletti al ragu d'anatra, granchio & agnello for entrees. Everything was delicioussss. We also got the tiramisu & creme brulee for dessert with macchiatos to end the night, and it was all fantastic. Our waitress was very attentive, and the host was polite. Definitely recommend:)

Good neighborhood Italian BYOB. weeknight so not packed but we made reservations. Excellent service

A friend and I were debating on why a restaurant like Melograno has a lower overall rating than perhaps it deserves. Melograno has great food, terrific service, and a cozy and welcoming ambience. In addition, it's also a BYO! In my opinion the lower ratings stem from Restaurant Week that can be the bane of any established restaurant. First, the restaurant is inundated with reservations that fill them up and often they can't do a 90 minute turn on a table backing up other reservations that either piss off those waiting, or those seated when the management tries to expedite their departure. Also, if there are any hiccups with food coming out, this has the potential to have an effect on quality as the backend tries to keep up with demand. Those who have ever dined out on Valentine's Day, know these problems all too well. Come to Melograno on a normal day and experience this wonderful restaurant in its true glory!

Decent Italian food in Center City/Rittenhouse area! Extremely convenient location for dinner if you are going to Helium Comedy Club later that night. The restaurant is BYOB so we brought a bottle of wine and there was no corking fee. The meal started with complimentary bread with delicious olive oil, however was a little bland and could have definitely used a little sea salt or something on top. For starters, we had the polpette and tartare. The meatballs were definitely the highlight, although if you like olives/capers the tartare is also delicious. For entrees, the four of us had the lamb shank, duck ragú pasta, salmon and the fish special which was a red cod. The pasta, salmon, and cod were delicious. The lamb was bland. For dessert, the Panna cotta was delicious. The tiramisu was okay...a little too watery/loose for my liking. Service was incredible throughout the meal! Overall, it was better than I expected from the previous ratings and would recommend.

Overall: good pasta and food for the price, and it's BYOB!! Price range around $25-30/person Ordered: :D melazana : ordered as app, amaaaazing pizza. Cheese melted so well and was the star of the dish :D Tartufate: mushroom and truffle flavors came together so well over pappardelle. Will get again! :) Amatriciana: light and simple, light tomato flavor Service: regular, came by a few times to check up on us. Ambiance: Can get loud and rowdy (that BYOB), mostly young people on the weekends (20-30s), not family friendly Tip: can make reservations

Overall a great experience. 4 to 4.5 stars experience. Our waitress Natalie was super sweet and nice. Apps and dessert was awesome, I didn't like the Bolognese pasta much but that's because I prefer my pasta softer - it was too Al dente for me but that's just my preference. The pasta from the Fazzoletti Al Ragú d'anatra was good, I like the fact that they make their tiramisu in house and the flavors were just right - not too sweet, lady fingers were still soft and fresh and wasn't too wet. It's BYOB so that's an added plus. Atmosphere is 4 stars Food was 4 stars Service was 5 stars.

Went here on a whim and it was one of the best meals I've ever had! Can't wait to go back. Had the tuna tartare and the truffle pasta. So so good. And unpretentious too.

BYOB!!! Please be warned because there are absolutely no beverages besides water here. The food is good, nothing to write home about, though. The porkchop was undercooked, so we had to send it back, and it still came back undercooked. We sent it back rare, and it came back k medium rare, so we didn't even eat it. The steak was REALLY good but the spinach was bland. It tasted literally like spinach. Not even a dash of garlic or anything on it. The service was really good. The waiter and host consistently checked on us and were super friendly. The ambiance was nice. It's a small, dimly lit restaurant so it makes a nice date night.

Food is decent, portions are very small. Be prepared to still be hungry when you leave. Nice that it's BYOB. The reason this place loses another star is because of the service. It was excellent throughout the meal, but it was clear they were trying to rush my party of 4 out of the restaurant. As we were getting up to leave, the host of the restaurant came over and straight up told us to leave as there were people waiting. We had paid our bill maybe 15 minutes prior to this, and were just hanging around finishing our wine and take a group picture, and were about to get up to go. We had ordered 3 courses of food, and were at the table for less than an hour and a half total. Found this interaction to be extremely rude and off putting. With so many BYOB Italian options in the city, I would go elsewhere. Probably won't be back.

Visiting area with friends and scored a home run with this pick. Food was only outdone by our amazing server Amanda who gave us great recommendations and was a pleasure. Appetizers, pasta and desserts all A+ with a great vibe.

Very good food! Delicious and prompt service. Excellent BYOB and always recommend it to others

Hidden gem!! Beautiful restaurant and BYOB is always an enjoyable experience. Our group started with the octopus, gnocchi, and burrata. All were great shareable plates but the octopus was our favorite. Three of us got the tonnarelli with crab meat and Calabrian chilis and it was very tasty. Was a lot creamier than we expected based on the description but we were pleasantly surprised. My friend got the duck ragu pasta which was also very flavorful.

It's Philly Restaurant Week!? Not being a fan of these things, just like going out on Valentine's day, I prefer a regular menu. I'll stop before I go on a rant, but my wife found Melograno and said she wanted to go there. She booked a reservation, I drove. We're a great team. Driving from the suburbs, my GPS said forty minutes. Really? That's odd... We drove down on a Thursday night with little to no traffic. Drove to the lot I was going to take, but we were a bit early. We continued on and found great street parking. The little things make me so happy... When we arrive at Melograno, we are vaccination checked and shown a table. I'm just so happy to be out with zero stress. My wife quickly glances at the menu and one of the items she wanted isn't there... Oh no... It was too good to be true... My wife inquires about the dish but is told it's just what's on the menu. She wanted these duck ragu handkerchief pasta and we were told they are on the regular menu. After some back and forth, we decide to order two restaurant week meals and an extra order of the handkerchief pasta. All is good and then our server comes back saying "I'm sorry"... The rollercoaster of emotion continues, noooooooo. She was told that the website was correct and the menus were printed wrong, would we like to just get two meals, rather than the extra entree. We made a change and couldn't be happier. I'm a fan of meatballs and placed an order to start off. It had some nice crunch, but I wasn't overall impressed until I took a bite with the polenta. The creamy polenta, with the pecorino and tomato sauce, enhanced the bite so much. My wife had the octopus and the charred aroma was just so pleasant. This dish tasted great as well. When the entrees came out, I took a bite of the fazzoletti that my wife wanted so badly. We've been eating some really amazing homemade pasta over the years, but this was just instantly among the best. We were always going to get this dish and it's just so worth it. At one point, I'm assuming, the manager came over and apologized for the menu mixup. Also to check in on things. After our dessert, a check was dropped with a QR code. I paid online and we were on our way. A great evening and enough food that we were full, but not stuffed. If we got that third entree, it would have just been too much, but that's why you can take some food home. It was a BYOB too, we finished off our bottle and were out the door. A great evening with great food.

The byob feature of Melograno made it one of our choices for restaurant week, and it turned out to be a pretty good choice. Parking- we found street parking close by around 6:15pm, however, by 6:30 all the available spots behind us were taken. If planning a visit, keep in mind that the surrounding area can get quite busy. Food: The burrata appetizer, salmon and lamb chop mains were fantastic. Perfectly done. The granchio was also pretty good, perfectly cooked pasta with lots of crabmeat. But, a pinch less salt would have been perfect. Polpo appetizer was very nicely grilled. The spinach that came with the lamb also had a touch too much salt, and, for us, the salt that was on the complimentary bread (served with olive oil) wasn't needed. Service: Our server and the other staff on the floor were good. Friendly and on top of filling up water, removing finished plates, etc. However, our entrees took about 30 minutes to come out, arriving after the table next to us, which was seated about 20 minutes after we were....Granted, the restaurant was pretty busy. The person at the host stand when we came in was also expediting plates at times. Waiters were also assisting incoming customers or letting them know someone would be helping them soon, etc...I appreciated the fact that everyone seemed to be doing their best to ensure a good customer experience during a busy dinner service where several parties had a bit of a wait. Still, the wait between appetizer and main was long enough to be quite noticeable. Nonetheless, Looking forward to another experience here !

Really good food and service! The bread was sooo good! We had the appetizer meatballs and another dish that is too hard to pronounce that was delicious. Highly recommend- very reasonable too- byob

Consistently fresh and good food, very attentive service. Our go-to BYOB Italian in center city

Our group of 6 diners decided to splurge and ordered one of each Antipasti on the menu for the table: Gnocchi di Semolina (baked semolina croquette with spinach peppers mushroom sage and pecorino), Insalata (arugula prosciutto parmigiano lemon vinaigrette), Polpette (pork meatballs over polentina tomato sauce pecorino), Burrata (bread crusted cheese heirloom tomato salad peppers gaeta fresh basil and aged balsamic), and Tartare (yellowfin tuna marinated fennel, gaeta olives, capers orange glaze & chili oil). My favorite was the Tartare, which had some lovely bright notes, followed by the Insalata, for a similar reason. I was most looking forward to the Burrata, but found it not to be as flavorful as expected. The spaghettini special with mussels had a nice flavor, but was a tad salty. Meanwhile, the bread plate--sliced bread served pre-drizzled with olive oil--had a nice balance of salt. The branzino special had no complaints. Takeaway: a bit pricey for the portion size, but overall a tasty BYOB meal.

Great for a BYOB friends dinner! I went with a large group of friends for restaurant week. The restaurant was incredibly flexible with our large group, but make sure to call ahead. Also they were able to accommodate gluten free dietary restrictions with several dishes.

My husband and I decided to come for restaurant week. I love places with homemade pastas and I'm always looking for new places to go to. We left and there was no traffic so we were gonna walk around and get a drink first, but I ended up being able to move the reservation up a half hour so that was good. We arrive and I look at the restaurant week menu and the one pasta with duck Ragu that was supposed to be on there wasn't listed. I asked our waitress about it and she said whatever is on the list is what they have. So we were gonna order it off the regular menu in addition to 2 other pastas that were on the menu. So we put our order in and then our waitress comes back over and said there was an error and that pasta is supposed to be on the menu, so now I have to decide which of my other pastas to eliminate haha. We order the charred octopus, the pork meatballs, the fazoletti with duck ragu and the tonarelli with crab. The octopus turned out to be pretty good, it had a lot of different fresh flavors and was refreshing. The pork meatballs were a little dry, but I liked the polenta with them. The duck fazzoletti was very good. It was different than any other pasta I had before. The handkerchief pasta was melt in your mouth and it had a lot of the ragu on it, it almost tasted like a stew but was great. The tonnarelli with crab was pretty good too. I wasn't sure if I wanted to get it and almost went with the pappardelle pasta with mushrooms instead. I was worried about the crab pasta being too spicy for me, but it wasn't too spicy at all and I liked the lemon flavor in it too. It Could have used a little more crab maybe, but I enjoyed it. The entrees were big so I'm really glad we didn't get the 3rd pasta it would have been too much. For dessert we got the tiramisu and caramel flan. It was supposed to be creme brûlée but they changed it. The flan was still good but I was looking forward to the creme brûlée. The tiramisu was pretty good but had a lot of the whipped cream in it. I liked the fact that it was byob so we could use one of the wine bottles that are sitting at our house.

Melograno was like visiting the home of a good friend. For starters the fresh focaccia and EVOO even though not warmed, was quick to the table after being seated. That was followed quickly by the Roasted Octopus appetizer with thinly sliced potatoes. The octopus had a nice charred exterior with a tender flesh. While I enjoyed all the entrees on this evening, this appetizer was the best dish of the night. The Roasted Lamb was both charred, tender, succulent and lacked any gamey flavor. The polenta underneath could had this underlying sweet vanilla flavor which was kinda weird for a savory dish. The spinach layered on top of the polenta kinda assumed the same flavors as the polenta. Some salt would have definitely helped to make it better. The Panna Cotta with crumbled Expresso Cookie on top was a nice way to finish the meal. My waitress was very efficient and attentive. Entrees were delivered with precision as I was ready for them. The maitre'd was very personable and took great care to make sure all my needs were met, like I was having a meal in his home.

Came here with classmates and enjoyed the food! We had a great round table for the 7 of us, which was nice for getting to know each other. Food: I liked my pasta dish a lot - it was mushroom based with truffle and walnuts. Seasoned well and a good amount of creamy. They also gave great bread with olive oil for the whole table - but when we asked for more bread (each person only got 1 piece), they forgot to come back to us with the bread which was disappointing. Service: it felt like we were rushed through our dinner, which was a disappointment since this was meant to be a bonding event for our large group. I was glad the food came quickly, but the waitress also gave us nudges saying they needed this table was needed for another party soon. We left the restaurant after only an hour, when it would've been nice to have had at least 90 min for our meal. Atmosphere: the restaurant was bustling during the Friday evening we were there. The tables are pretty close together, so it was kind of noisy and hard to hear each other, especially since we were sitting around a large-ish round table.

Extremely good food, very aromatic. I just think that the environment (service, vibe) can be upgraded more to match the food quality. Italian friend said this is an authentic place so I gave it a try and liked it.

Get the pastas. Order: Sardine Appetizer Special: 4.5/5 served with pickled ramps and pickled zucchini. Tasted great in combination with the pickles. Artichoke Alla Romana side: 2/5 tasted like vinegar and not much more. Granchio: 3/5 Tonnarelli pasta with crab meat, cherry tomatoes, garlic in a cream sauce. Could've used something acidic to cut through the richness of the sauce. Amatriciana: 4.5/5 Bucatini with pancetta in a spicy sauce. Great dish, would order again. Fazzoletti Al Ragú d'anatra: 4.5/5 Handkerchief pasta in a duck ragu. Tasted like thanksgiving dinner. This pasta had a different texture than the other pasta dishes but was delicious. Tiramisu: 4/5 nice way to finish dinner. Classic dessert done right.

We came here with a big group, and I was a little disappointed. The restaurant looks nice, tastefully furnished, service was good, prompt & friendly. Where it falls short is the food, which was alright, nothing to write home about. For the price point, I would expect better in terms of flavour. I ordered the black truffle pasta, and was not enamoured with the taste. Thankfully, the burrata starter made up for it somewhat, as it tasted better. The bread is very good, I think that was the highlight of the meal.

The best part about this place is the service and the fact that it's BYOB. Both times that I've come here for dinner the servers were just extremely warm and kind. The food is also pretty decent as well.

Went here for September's Restaurant week. I ordered the insalata salad, pork chop, then some kind of custard pudding. The salad and dessert were good. The pork chop and the sauce were delicious but it came with oversalted fries. I was enjoying the meat but a bite of the very center piece had me doing a quick mental prayer to not get food poisoning because it was too raw lol.

Overall, my experience here was great. The service was good and for it being restaurant week, everything came out in a timely manner and was hot. I have the burrata which was okay, but I probably wouldn't get it again. However, the amatriciana pasta dish was delightful and filling. It was spicy but not did not take away from the taste of the food. Im usually not a fan of tiramisu, but this one was the best one I've had. I hope to return here again and try some of the other things on the menu.

I love this spot! Came for the first time for restaurant week and it was the best decision. Had to come back another time as well! It's small and very cute inside. I love the open kitchen model. The pasta is delish. I recommend the crab pasta, it has a little kick to it. Never wrong to start with a pizza as well! Service is always great and it's BYOB! Highly recommend and can't wait to come back!

We came here with friends for Restaurant Week thinking it would be quiet on a Sunday. The place was bustling, but our table was along the wall away from the door. We loved that we could bring our own wines. So, what did we like? The toasted bread at the start of the meal already drizzled with olive oil was a hit (although there was just one piece per person). The charred octopus appetizer, delicious and thankfully not breaded, came with fingerling potatoes and salsa verde. (Fortunately, I had read other reviews which was what prompted me to order this as a first course.) Our friend said the burrata was good too. I loved the granchio with crab meat and cherry tomatoes although I would have loved more crab meat. Our other friend thought the dish was too peppery, but I appreciate a restaurant that doesn't shy away from a little flavor. The desserts (not on the menu) were delicious - a chocolate mousse with brownie crumble and whipped cream and the panna cotta with fresh blueberries. All around, a pleasant way to spend a Sunday night.

BYOB italian restaurant that does it right! Came here on a date night and had a great meal. Pappardelle tartufate - this was amazing. Wide pasta in a mushroom sauce with walnuts. The sauce wasn't heavy and it was the right amount to be able to still taste the quality of the pasta. Lamb shank - fall off the bone and flavored just right. Most places tend to oversalt these things, but not here. I was able to taste the meat of the lamb. Bread pudding w/ salted caramel gelato - the gelato was a tad too sweet for me and the bread was just ehhh. The apples in it were good and tart, but I don't think it was cooked enough. I don't think I would get this again. I will definitely be back to try other meal dishes.

Amazing authentic Italian BYOB! The service is excellent, a lot of the staff is from Italy. The tartufate, amatriciana, and polpette are not to be missed. You can tell all the pasta is fresh and homemade. Reasonable prices, for a party of 4, 4 entrees and 2 apps broke down to $136.

We tried during restaurant week. There was 4 of us. We tried variety of food and everyone was impressed with the food. Grilled octopus was perfectly grilled. Another had the meatball app and he loved it. My husband's salmon was really good and my pork chop was flavorful. I would have liked mashed potatoes or plain potatoes instead of fries that came with it however. One friend had pasta with crabmeat and he loved it as well. Tiramisu was perfect with little chocolate chips! Highly recommend!

This is the 4th time I've been to Melograno and I continue to be impressed. The food is flavorful, fresh, and the atmosphere is lively. A little bit on the pricey side for size of portions but I'll pay extra for that for the great service and it is BYOB! We started with the tartar which was light and fresh. It had a nice hit of acidity and the presentation was spot on. Next we had the mushroom pizza which was larger than expected and overall was solid. First main we had the duck ragu, which in my opinion was the low light of my night. The cream sauce took away much of the duck flavor and was a tad under seasoned. However, the amatriciana was a home run! Pops of the salty meat with the deep tomato sauce was to die for. Highly recommend. Dessert was solid and a nice finish the meal. Service was great and would definitely recommend for a nice date night.

Bad business practices. Went here for dinner with a group of 24 people and were represented at $55/person for one appetizer, entree, and dessert. When the bill came, the total came out to $87/person due to a "surcharge" for the steak and catch of the day (average salmon) despite the fact that we were not told of the extra charge for these items. When brought up when the bill came, they argued that we should've known these items would cost more despite giving no notice of this extra charge. Food was average at best and would not recommend to my worst enemy. Won't be coming here again!

Went here for date night and had an amazing time! The food was phenomenal and the pricing was pretty good considering everything we got and the portions. Our server was nice, attentive, and the food came out quickly. The lighting and decor in the dining room is very cozy.

I went here with my girlfriends for dinner recently. It was very easy to get a reservation on the same day. This place is super cute inside, you can see right into the kitchen! It's also byob so make sure you get some wine before! We started with the special app, it was grilled zucchini and red pepper with burrata cheese. They also give you plenty of delicious bread. For dinner I got the pasta with wild boar sauce which was amazing! They give you the perfect amount so you are full but not over stuffed. For desert we split the tiramisu which was amazing! We also got the gelato trio (vanilla, chocolate, and coffee), which was also great. The service was great, our waiter was very attentive and everyone was friendly. The manager (I assume) came around asking if we enjoyed our meal and needed anything else. Overall great experience!

Small Italian cuisine in Rittenhouse Square Philly. Rustic Small town city atmosphere. Extremely good food, service was excellent.

Had a superb meal with an out of town guest. Fine service, all dishes were appreciated. A bit noisy, but hard to avoid with a full house. So glad this place survived Covid. A reliable go-to!

We'd the mussels to start, aunt ordered the lamb ossobuco I'd the fried chicken cutlet. I brought the wine - it was a sparking rose - it pared perfectly with both dishes. It's a dim lit and cozy place but very noisy. The other customers are nice and it's not at all a stuffy atmosphere. I think it's because the staff is friendly. They serve a small portion of bread which was fine; the main courses are huge. I couldn't finish my chicken cutlet with prosciutto, buffalo moz, arugula and tomatoes ( i asked them to hold the prosciutto and they accommodated my request). Everyone is nice, they know their menu and everything was very well prepared. I liked my aunt's dish - the seasoning and flavors were complex but I'm not a braised meat person and wasn't in the mood for pasta or fish. The chicken cutlet was delicious and juicy; I think it either had a light sauce or the chicken breast was marinated - either way it was special. My aunt ordered a single scoop of salted caramel gelato (off menu item) for dessert and decaf earl grey tea - it was Stash's! She really enjoyed everything! I enjoyed mine too but I agree with her - if you like braised meats order the Oasobuco it's a perfect cold weather dish! It's BYOB and they take credit cards, what more could you want?

This was the second time in a couple of weeks that we dined at Melograno. Loved it! Both visits were what I would consider challenging for a restaurant. The first visit was with a group of eight, which they handled with ease. The second visit was with a group of five, and, due to another event, we had just over an hour to dine. Again, there was no problem. Being in 2 large groups, I was able to taste a number of their dishes, and all were excellent. The service was professional and attentive. I highly recommend this charming BYOB!

I loved my experience at Melograno. The food was delicious and service was so welcoming! I cannot wait to come back and try some more of the menu. I loved where we sat because we could see the kitchen at work! It was truly a fantastic dinner :)

tl;dr this Italian BYOB just off of Rittenhouse Square might work for a large party just looking for a good time that doesn't care about the quality of food I had heard mixed reviews for Melograno from a variety of sources. Some called it the best Italian BYOB in Philly, while others lambasted it for poor service and subpar food. If anything, all this controversy left me needing to find out the real deal for myself. Walking into Melograno with my partner for an 8PM Friday reservation, I immediately took notice of the cozy decor. Melograno was lofted with exposed wooden beams overhead, finished with heavy accent lighting, sliding barn doors, and knick-knacks around the walls (including a motor scooter!). However, the coziness ended there. To say this restaurant was busy would be an understatement. Pop music playing in the background, which ended up being completely drowned out by how incredibly loud this restaurant is. It took nearly 15 minutes to be seated, despite our table having been ready for that whole time. We were seated next to the front window, with the hostess desk (and therefore a line of people still waiting to be seated) blocking us from any servers. And, to be quite frank, the service was awful. It took another 10 minutes after we were seated for anyone to even greet us at our table. Then, it took over 30 minutes on top of that just to get us water -- hilariously, we received our appetizers before our water! Finally, our "starter" bread came with our entrees, a full hour after we had been seated, despite us being promised several times that it was "on the way." And I haven't even begun speaking about the food. We ordered the Calamari Puttanesca, the Polenta with Oyster Mushroom Special, the Pappardelle al Ragú di Cinghiale, and the Squid Ink Fusilli Special. The polenta, although described by our server as being served "crispy" was mushy and flavorless, with just a dab of red sauce on top. Any flavor that was in that dish came solely from the oyster mushrooms. The calamari was a bit rubbery, although the stew it was served in was really tasty especially with copious amounts of olives and capers. Onto to pasta dishes, I will say that, for both, the noodles themselves were clearly homemade and well-cooked. However, the fusilli lacking in flavor, even though it was served with a good deal of assorted seafood. Unfortunately, some of the mussels were sandy and inedible. On the other hand, the pappardelle, which had only a tiny scoop of the wild boar ragu, ended up leaving much to be desired. To top it all off, our waiter became defensive at the end of our experience when I told him our meal was only "okay." Overall, I found our meal to be lackluster. In fact, I found myself complimenting the wine (which we BYOB'ed!) more than Melograno itself. In any case, I don't plan on coming back anytime, ever.

Went for restaurant week with a friend - the price is good but he food was just okay. The gnocchi starter was pretty disappointing. My friend got the meatball/polenta starter which was slightly better than the gnocchi. I got the mushroom pasta which was good and my friend got the spicy pancetta pasta which was also good. We got tiramisu and chocolate mousse for dessert - both were fine. Overall it was just a so-so meal. Not sure I would go back considering there are so many great Italian spots to pick him!