Mel's Burger Bar

Last 2 (few years ago) experiences were bad and reason why me and my guests stop going there. They experienced it as well on separate occasions. We previously to the last 2 experiences we visited often as food and service was very good that's until staff changes. The bad experiences was we were charged more than other customers and treated differently. We were made to wait longer to place and receive orders as others place ordersafter us and got their items before us. It started to become uncomfortable and seem as if it was being done on purpose. We were a small group of color but not sure if that had anything to do with it. Not sure if this was done on purpose to get us out of there by employee (at bar) internationally but hope it was not done by supervision/management. For the record I am just stating my last 2 experiences. I miss going there and not sure if I ever will. Would be nice to see if those experiences would not happen again to me plus miss the food, vibes and spiked milkshakes. Pictures are from 1 of the better experiences as this day I had guests from Coney Island and Far Rockaway visit Mel's and loved it. Overall I want to thank Mel's Burger Bar for all the memories.

This was our first visit to Mel’s. We were craving burgers though the brunch looks so good, we were tempted. My husband ordered the WTF burger, a “signature burger” which was really good and while I designed my own burger and I couldn’t have been happier. The tots were a real treat too. I didn’t love the macaroni and cheese balls (marinara sauce isn’t my thing) but my husband enjoyed it. The restaurant itself is informal and comfortable. We adored our waitress, Madeline, who was so helpful and fun ... she sat down at a seat at our table .and we loved it!!!

I ordered the burger well done and the beef was so juicy, the meat was tender, the staff was super nice, and the place was super clean and worth the price. They have turkey and a of variety meat. Also, they have kids meal. I love the smallest sundae in the world. Super delicious. I love this restaurant.

Good happy hour deals; from 4-7pm they have most drinks for $5-$7. Burgers are delicious. I had the California, and my husband had the Baja. Both have avocado, both delicious, but a little messy to eat. Good vibes, great music playing.

Nice burger join in the upper west side . Not expensive and nice atmosphere Had the classic burger, fries and wings. All were nicer than expected Definitely recommended if you are in the area

Cute burger bar. Young crowd. Nice servers and far service. Tried the widower (mac and cheese burger) & sliders with a side of fries. Pretty good. Decent prices.

This has been on my saved places to eat, so I’m glad my friend wanted burgers. Easy to find off of the 1 stop on 110 near Columbia, Mels was filled on a Saturday night. We got there around 6 and we were seated pretty quickly. I think this was the shift change time though because there didn’t seem to be much staff. Service was fine. Nothing personable. The restaurant has a dive feel. We received our drinks quickly but the reason for a knocked star was the kitchen took a while for the food. It was delicious though. The Dirty Hipster was phenomenal. I loved the idea of the SA dip on the patty. It was fresh and juicy. The garlic, bacon, chive tots were nice - crunchy on the outside and just enough toppings. I would definitely come back to try more of the burgers

Stopped at this burger joint for lunch when I last visited NY. The service was quick and good. The server was knowledgeable about the menu and courteous. I tried the Hot Mess burger - with jalapeños, bacon crumbles, monterey jack, charred onion, lettuce, garlic sriracha mayo. It was deliciously hot but messy :-). The homemade lemonade was refreshing.

Mel's is a classic staple for my household. We live nearby and love bar food, and Mel's is the perfect spot for that. No frills, nothing crazy. Just really good burgers and wings. The ambiance is our favorite part of Mel's and what keeps us coming back. It's fun and inviting. They have games to play and always have the TVs going with sports. They have great deals if you're into NFL football. During their games they have wings deals you cannot beat. We come here often to watch our Colts play (and usually need to take advantage of their beer specials to drown out how bad our team is haha). Great place to watch a game!

A good hangout place in the UES it seems. Came here for Sunday lunch and wasn't busy, and the music was at such a reasonable level with comfy seats and booths. I could see friends and me just spending the day here especially with any of the AYCE options. The burgers were on the mediocre side though. Most of my party ordered medium rare but they were all varying degrees of medium to well done, and the burgers are on the Bland side. I got the breakfast burger and the toppings of onion rings and a fried egg did work nicely. The bottom bun also was soggy from the get go. The sides though were nice. The tater tots and sweet potato fries were much better than the burgers while the regular fries weren't hot or flavorful, but still crispy.

Chill spot, multiple sports on the TV. Definitely a cool spot. college kids mixed with older Kids. I'll become a regular here no problem. Celeste is a great bartender really made me feel at home. I highly recommend this spot.

Casual place with good beers and burgers. Big fan of the Mel's classic beer and let me tell you....you may only need one. Maybe 2 max...they get ya good! I opted for the mix basket of tater tots and onion rings. Their fries are very good though! My friend also got 2 burgers so, that should tell ya that they are solid. Great place to catch up with friends, I was at the location off of Columbia University - seems like a great post exam meal. If you're vegetarian - no fear! They have a good amount of veggie options included a burger, tacos, and if I'm not mistaken cauliflower wings too. Service is great, employees are kind and knowledgeable about both drinks and foods.

Regular burger place, but good vibes and music. You pick a table but order at the bar - no table service. We had to ask for waters, silverware, etc. Food comes out in a typical time - they did get my fry order wrong, but the staff fixed it by giving me my corrected fry order at no additional cost. Food runners moves quick. Wish they had some more bartenders - they seemed understaffed. But it's a cool spot and seems well loved. They have some drink deals. HH from 4-7. Would recommend for large groups. My burger and fries came out to be around $18.

Bartender was an asshole. I was here for the World Cup and there was a minimum amount for each customer and I bought wings but the guy didn't believe me and made me spend another $30 to get my card back

Pleasantly surprised! Dimly lit and virtually empty when we arrived at lunchtime - I was concerned. But there is no arguing with a satisfying burger! I got the "snack size" burger (according to our server) and it was plenty - nice not to leave stuffed or with lots of wasted food. Great sauce on the burger, and same great sauce on the very crispy sweet potato fries made me forget ketchup even existed! Not a bad idea if you are in the neighborhood.

Solid five star bar and restaurant. Vibe is just amazing. I really enjoy the mix of folks that inhabit this joint on both sides of the bar. Making absolutely killer burgers. My standard triple B! Burger, beer and a bourbon. My Happy place. Good pour too. Great prices. Rock on MBB! Well... I wrote this review a few days ago. I pop into Mel's to find that they are closing the doors permanently on Sunday the 17th. Was explained to me the why and how. Just sad. Really liked this place. I wish all at Mel's happiness and success int their future endeavors. Thank you for everything Mel's crew. You're the best.

2.5 stars but rounded up to 3 -- I called to confirm the bottomless brunch price written on their website but when we got there, the price was entirely different and only included mimosas (and not the other drinks stated on the menu which was confirmed over the phone). Also FYI when we went, the mimosas were self serve so you had to go up to the bar to pour for yourself every time you finished your glass which got kind of messy bc a lot of people were trying to do it at the same time (as in people from other tables too). The food was decent and had hefty portions though.

I got the hot mess burger which tastes pretty good. They have some interesting food and their service is great. The outdoor seatings are nice and cozy. The great location is also a big plus.

Redoing my review. I left 5 stars previously due to great vegan burger sauce, vegan cheese! Went there and the vegan option is a plain beyond burger and lettuce, pickle, tomato, onion on a dry bun. They also removed tots from menu. They also reduced beer menu. They also messed up my order and brought it once my whole table had finished eating their burgers and fries. Waste of money. Went to Arts and Crafts brew house to salvage dinner and they have new all vegan menu with the most delicious new items. Not coming back to Mel's!

Wow! This place had bomb burgers!!!!! My cousin and I went here and the burgers were cooked just right and seasoned so perfectly. Quality buns too. The beer selections is great! The Mel Back stout is on point... so good. Tater tots were so cute crispy and they are not cheap with portions. Fries are thin and not soggy at all. You can do a half half aide which is great if you are sharing or cant decide between two sides with your juices tasty burger. They have a Some garlic aioli sauce which was soooooo goood we had to get our own and take one home. Every bite was Delicious!!! Service was good. Not vaccinated? Dont worry they have outdoor seating. They do check for inside seating. Prices are fair! Nice location too.

This rating is because Mel's just changed the menu. They combined it with items from another restaurant called "& Sons" and claim the new menu is for restaurant week, but we don't know for how long. The biggest problem is there is only ONE type of burger you can order now... and it's the default kind with lettuce/tomato... Your entree choices are now one burger, one hotdog, or three diff sandwiches. That's it. We went from around 6 types of burgers to now just one, plus no more waffle fries. Was the new burger good? Yes it was. But it tastes like any restaurant's burger. Fries are now the skinny kind, they're good. I ordered a side of bacon jam, and if you add them into the burger, it's good. The overall positive is the food definitely tastes lighter and healthier. The problem is we lost our sense of CHOICE on the menu. I hope they slowly bring some of the original items back. I don't mind if they cook/prepare them differently and make them healthier, but right now it doesn't make sense for place known for its burgers to only have one kind of burger.

No frills burger joint. Super good burger not over cooked. Perfect place for cheat meal! One star off because they only carry Pepsi and their menu that we were given via QR code had no drinks we didn't even know they had a bar inside!

Perfect casual drink and a burger spot. Burgers were cooked perfectly as were the fries....sounds pretty basic but we've all paid good money for an overcooked crummy burger and regretted it immediately. This one won't let you down.

Outstanding burger, truly delicious. Fun vibe. Noisy college bar at night but deal with it. Worth it.

Horrible service. I ask if it was okay that my kid eats pizza outside because the menu isn't kid friendly. The bar tender was very rude she said you can't have that pizza in our property. Came to give us the menu after we was sitting for 10 minutes and never return to take our order until I walked in to speak to a manager and the other guy stated the manager wasn't there. It's unfortunate in such area we have to deal with this kind of service. Not kid friendly, disgusting service, don't recommend ever this place!

As another user mentioned they have changed the menu and now there is only ONE burger. How can you be a burger bar with only one kind of burger? Is it that hard to offer a choice of three different kinds of cheese, bacon, lettuce, and tomato, which would satisfy everyone? The burger was ok and the fries were better. If you are a Columbia student more interested in drinking than the burger than this is your place otherwise wait until they change the menu.

Mel: Who is he? The question we all ask while biting into the juicy, tender burger. Mel confuses me. I think he is a nice soul, with a passion for burgers. Although the burger is amazing, i'd love some more of the history. Is Mel real? I hope so. If so, i'd love him to attend my sons yogurt themed birthday party!Buffalo Wings. Yummy

Highly recommend for bottomless brunch! Grace was our hostess/ server, she was amazing and so friendly!!

just don't go to Mel's to eat. Go to Mel's to feel like a real grown college kid (if you are 18 and just left home) or ancient and out of touch (if you are 21)

Grace is the GOAT!! Top tier service and great food. Would highly recommend for bottomless mimosas.

I came here on a weeknight hoping for a classy burger/bar vibe. However, the atmosphere was not what I expected. I felt like I was the only one in the restaurant who wasn't a college student--which, I guess, makes sense being so close to Columbia University. It was very loud, very "hip" and the background music had car-commercial soundtrack vibes. The service was overall good; no complaints there. I ordered the the bacon burger with cheddar and tots, but it seemed like I got all tots and no burger! Also, the burger didn't come with any sauce or condiments, so just expect that. Overall, nothing was bad per se... Just don't expect a gourmet burger or classy/upscale environment. Beer selection was good. So, I say if you want a quick bite or want to drink a lot and don't mind college vibes this place is good!

This has been on my saved places to eat, so I'm glad my friend wanted burgers. Easy to find off of the 1 stop on 110 near Columbia, Mels was filled on a Saturday night. We got there around 6 and we were seated pretty quickly. I think this was the shift change time though because there didn't seem to be much staff. Service was fine. Nothing personable. The restaurant has a dive feel. We received our drinks quickly but the reason for a knocked star was the kitchen took a while for the food. It was delicious though. The Dirty Hipster was phenomenal. I loved the idea of the SA dip on the patty. It was fresh and juicy. The garlic, bacon, chive tots were nice - crunchy on the outside and just enough toppings. I would definitely come back to try more of the burgers.

Great burger place. Not sure why the yelp rating is so low. They have solid burgers that hit the spot. I ordered a cold brew coffee (non alcoholic) as I waited for my friend to arrive. I came around 12PM on a Saturday and the place wasn't crowded at all. Most of the people that were there seemed to be eating brunch. I ordered the California burger with sauce on the side. I should have put the onions on the side as well because they were STRONG. By "no modifications" to the signature burgers, they mean that you can replace things and take things out - but you can't add anything. My friend ordered the WTF which he seemed to really enjoy, it came with fries which I stole quite a few of Overall, the people here are nice and service is speedy. Bathrooms are pretty clean too - although a bit dark. Sometimes you just really crave a burger and Mel's really hits the spot!

Best spot for bottomless because they give you bottles to make your own. The burgers are also amazing

I came to this place with two of my friends. The actual place is pretty cute love the Mel's sign with the lights and the red couches. The only thing about this place is that it's pretty dark. I went to the bathroom and could barely see myself in the mirror. Food wise though I did enjoy this place! I got the California burger deluxe and it was so delicious. I was very hungry so it definitely hit the spot. I also tried the Mac & cheese bites those were yummy as well they're served with amazing marinara. I also had 2 perfect margaritas that were definitely solid. This place is more of a craft beer place. Overall had a good time here, would come again.

Mel's reminds me of the burger shops you encounter in small towns. You know exactly what you are getting and how its going to taste. There menu is pretty decent when it comes to additional toppings you can add to your sandwich, however they do not allow you to make changes to their signature burgers, which can be limiting. Nonetheless, I got a basic bacon cheeseburger and I was happy with it. The bun was soft and buttery, the meat was tender and juicy ( I got it cooked medium) and the the bacon was crispy and satisfying. Overall it was a pretty positive experience. Would love to go back and try more of their menu.

I really appreciate the owner reaching and explaining the confusion! We are all human and can forgive

First off, I apologize about the quality of the picture. I screenshotted it from a video. Went here to watch a game with some friends. The service was great and the atmosphere was inviting. I ordered the spinach and artichoke dip with came with chips, sour cream and pico. It was very spinachy, with very light cheese, and not much creaminess. I only finished half and I wouldn't get it again but that's only because I prefer a spinach and artichoke dip with more body and less spinach.

This was definitely my go to spot about 5 plus years ago. I was surprised Mel's Burger Bar was still opened as so many places in this neighborhood have closed or changed in the past year. We came to Mel's at around 11:30PM on a Wednesday and there were a decent amount of people still eating. We were seated and given menus quickly, we ordered our meals along with a shake. Our waiter asked us both a few questions in terms of toppings and how we wanted our burger cooked. The food didn't take long to come but it did come completely wrong, I for some reason got a burger with jalapeños and raw onions instead of a well done cheese burger with bacon lettuce and tomatoes, my friend got mac and cheese sliders that were a bit raw. The fries were the only thing we ate, my burger wasn't extremely bad but I definitely do not eat jalapenos so I could barely eat the burger. The waiter brought us some bacon on the side that was not cooked. I was way to tired to complain or even wait for them to make me another burger so we ate what we both could and paid our bill. The service was great and so was the atmosphere. The food wasn't bad I just wish I'd gotten what I ordered.

This is my second time working with Chris at Mel's to plan a large event for the members of my school community. Chris and the Mel's staff are a delight to work with. They were able to work out a terrific menu for a take out lunch for close to 120 colleagues. Orders were packed perfectly and clearly labeled. Chris attended to all of the dietary details too, calling to confirm specific substitutions and additions. Thank you so much for a wonderful end of year lunch!

I got the Hot Mess and Waffle Fries (and a shot + beer) the food was delicious. I was originally planning to rate Mel's a 4 star but I decided on 5 stars because the service was very quick and attentive even in the outdoor seating environment. The food tasted great and the burger was cooked really well and 8 bucks for a shot and beer is a good price for Manhattan. I think 18 bucks (before tax+tip) for a burger and fries is a little steep but I do like that they include 20% automatically for a tip for workers so they can get paid better. Mel's is a very solid burger spot to have a beer and I will probably be back.

Omg when you go, ask for Taylor !! She is great! She is attentive, sweet & actually lets you breathe. I've been to places where the waitresses and servers are so on you but here, at Mel's everyone is so chill. I am a little sad I didn't snap pictures of the decor but I'm pretty sure next I go I will because you will definitely see me there again! The owner, Chris, is a doll! My boyfriend and I would catch him from time to time looking around, making sure everyone was doing alright, and I just had to speak to him after. Very friendly and open to feedback, whether negative or positive. I can't wait to go back!! Thank you Taylor & Chris!

They used to have a good veggie burger. They now serve Beyond Burger instead. If you are a meat eater who wants a healthy option, it's great. But if you like good housemade veggie burgers, pass Atmosphere and service are fine, not great.

Came to have lunch & also watch the World Cup match. I've been here many times before and not much has changed. You can get half off apps and bogo drinks when you sign up for their brew club. I tried their IPA (was not a fan). We also ordered the backyarder and the hot mess burgers with a side of disco fries to share. Both were delicious and cooked perfectly. The fries were also really good - the gravy and the cheese mix worked perfectly. Service was not the best but it could have been because of how packed the bar was for the game. Still a solid option in the neighborhood. Should mention that the fried Oreos are out of this world!

Great Bar....Terrible Food! This burger bar just could not live up to the hype. I came in here and took a seat and the bar to get some dinner and drinks. There is a bar as soon as you walk in a tables all over which would be great for gameday as they have tv's all over the bar. The bartender was really cool and I got a beer from the draft and ordered the widow maker burger which is mac n' cheese, bacon, served on a potato bun medium rare and garlic fries. While waiting for my food the yankees game was on and the Cincinnati reds game was on. I asked if they could put on the rangers/devils game since it was 3-3 in the third period but the manager said no, which I thought was ridiculous. For the food It came out as ordered medium rare burger with red on the inside of the burger but it was not juicy at all, so it taste like they freeze their burgers so needless to say the quality of burger was pretty poor here and did not taste very good. For the garlic fries they give you a pretty good portion and were good. In short: - Bad Frozen like burgers - Good Fries - Nice bartenders - Won't Play Hockey - Won't be back

Limited menu due to COVID. Only found this out after sitting down and scanning the barcode. Website still has the old menu that I enjoyed. Like 5 beers on draft and around 5 different burger choices now. My usual burgers that I liked before COVID no longer on the menu. Spent $85 for two burgers + tots, two beers, and an order of mozzarella sticks tip included. Burger was mediocre at best compared to what they used to be. Next time I will be going to Five guys across the street and spending 1/3 the price for much better food. There was also slow service that clearly didn't want to be there. Won't be coming back anytime soon.

Beer, beer, ...and liquor I'm somewhat new to the Columbia U social scene, but I had a blast at Mel's. I feel like this place may become my post-work watering hole. Mel's has a great selection of various beers, and even subtypes of beer. For example, I had quite a selection of IPA's at my disposal; however, there was a limited selection of sour ales. :(. But, that's something that I can work around. The bartenders (Victoria, Blair, Dallas) were very nice and friendly, especially Blair. She always made sure that my glass was full. The regulars at the bar seem down to earth and willing to start a conversation with a new person. Even though the restaurant has the word, "burger," in it name, I did not get an opportunity to try one, but the food smelled delicious. If I did not have other dinner plans, I probably would have tried one. But, you have to leave something for the next visit.

I mean I would choose this over McDonald's if I was looking for a real burger. Does it compare to Black Tap? Not even close. The burger was simply that. A regular burger. Super disappointed with the fries. They could have been a lot fresher but we got fries that looked fresh but were cold and soggy (talk about let down) Overall, I've had better.

Saw this walking down the street Monday night and caved into cravings. This bar is known for their shakes and burgers and was pumped to try it. Noticed they didn't have too many waiters going around this place (despite the restaurant being fairly large), so decided to sit at one of the remaining stools at the bar. After realizing the shake were only on the brunch menu (booo), settled on the Widowmaker ($12.50) and a beer ($7). Given the price-tag, was hoping for some substance for my buck. In actuality, the burger is fairly small - a properly cooked patty inside a basic bun with lukewarm mac n' cheese on top and a couple slices of bacon. Overall the meal was meh, plus it didn't come with any fries (only a pickle). Service here is a certainly slow. The bartender doesn't have much help and I didn't get any utensils/napkins to go with my food. It does well given the area, but really a run-of-the-mill burger place.

Came to this place with some friends and everything was good. From the service to the food.an overall good experience. I had the hot mess which us delicious and spicy. I also had to share the disco fries smothered in cheese and a house brown gravy. My friend also mentioned there 5 dollar special beer and a shot can't best it. A good inexpensive stop will return to try another one of the burgers.

first time ordering and beyond glad I did. cheeseburger and fries/onion rings combo were off the charts good.

Neighborhood burger and beer joint near 110th street on Bway. Good place for a group to come and watch the games on TV and enjoy a large selection of burgers and fries. Beyond Burger available too. Actually came here after leaving another place nearby due to ear splitting noise. I guess some restaurants/bars don't care if you can talk or not -- but if I wanted to scream and shout all night I'd stay home with my wife.

I really like this place. Big space, loud-but not too loud, lots of burger/sides options. And there's been such an influx of burger places that I never know what I'm going to get. And with Mel's they provide that illusive burger experience -meat done according to my wishes (med. rare), all the flavors, they describe are going to be there, and the need for more napkins because I *love* a sloppy burger. I got the WTF - it had bacon, cheese, coleslaw, fries, pickles and the house sauce. It was really, really good - and memorable (three days later, still thinking about it). And not sure what magic this place weaves with sauces - but try their amazing horseradish sauce, too. REALLY like this place - definitely going back.

I happened to be in the area and I was looking for a spot to grab some dinner and Mel's Burgers caught my eye as I was walking down Broadway. I grabbed a seat at the bar and very friendly bartender took care of me. I was very happy to hear that they carried Left Hand Milk Stout which is one of my favorite beers. At that point I was hooked. I had a "Hot Mess" burger and fries. When my food was served, the burger looked small but it actually was substantial and the fries were ok because they were not seasoned that much. During the course of 2 weeks I ended up eating there 3 times. I tried the "California Burger" which was good also and the fries were seasoned much better on my next two visits. Overall the food was good, the staff was great and I would definitely recommend.

We love Mel's for the unlikely hope of one day fulfilling the Brew Crew requirements and getting our beer baptism. On a few of our last visits, we've not gotten specials we've asked for (e.g. 2 for 1 deals) or had our beers checked off the brew crew list even after asking a few times. Sounds silly, but disappointing when we've chosen Mel's over some of our more regular spots in the area because of these incentives. Vibe is usually fun but sometimes over-the-top loud. Food is kind of hit or miss -- veggie burger is a really weird consistency, regular burgers are pretty average, and we loved the garlic fries pictured except that there were heaps of raw garlic plopped on top that made for some sharp surprises...

DON'T GO THERE! POOR HYGIENE! **They don't wash the cups!** I ordered a Diet Coke And I found a lemon seed in the cup. I then asked the waitress if they put lemon in the coke. She said they didn't. When I told her that I sipped a lemon seed, she did not apologize. (She gave me another coke, but wait! You don't want to explain why there is a lemon seed? Do you just reuse the cup the previous customer used to drink a lemonade?? So, *If you want to drink a stranger's saliva, then go to Mel's.*

When we first got here, I was disappointed by the service. We had already decided what we were going, and we still had to wait for about twenty minutes until the server came. Thankfully, once we ordered, our server changed (??), and he even offered to check on our food! Within a minute or two, our burgers had already arrived, and they were divine. I ordered a Bo Burger, and my friends ordered a Widowmaker and a Cheeseburger Baby. We also had chicken fingers for the table. The meal itself was very satisfying, and the portion was great, as I felt full but not overstuffed. I would come back to try more burgers, but I wished that the service was better.

This spot was ok! Within walking distance to me. Came for lunch on a monday afternoon and it was quiet. Service was quick and the burger was actually grilled a perfect medium rare! Fries were really good