Mel's Hard Luck Diner

Great food, friendly staff. The staff sing 50's songs to you while they serve you. It's not too loud to where you can still enjoy conversation at your table, but loud enough you can still hear the servers' beautiful singing voices. We never had an empty cup, as soon as we were done with a plate, someone was there to take it away, kept our table clean and easy to eat. Overall GREAT experience. This is our new Go-To when in Branson.

If you want a unique place to eat and don't mind noise you'll want to swing into this place. The staff are singers and they sound amazing! It's fun to see them interact with the crowd and watch the kids'faces light up. The walls are lined with lots of different memorabilia. They even have a decibel meter so you can see how loud it can really get. There is such a selection you'll always find something delicious. Their ice cream bar and dessert menu is literally out of this world. If you want dessert I suggest you get it first because you won't have room. Great place to go for the kids and a memorable experience.

This is such a cool place to go! Only downside is they close early, so make plans to be there early. The servers are singers, and they're good! Really good! This restaurant is not for people looking for a quiet spot to eat. They have ice cream desserts you feel like you'll only ever see on TV. Ice cream pilled so high, filled with cookies. The food is really good too. I got the pot roast and would definitely order it again. Will have to come back next time we're in Branson.

Mel's in Country Mall has it all. When you're in Branson, MO, you have to try it. The food is fabulous (especially the chicken salad croissant), the displays are interesting, and the wait staff are all professional singers who have had to pass vocal auditions before they let them sling hash. Sure, they'll tell you all about the food, they'll bring you your order, and extra napkins, and refill your drink. But then, one by one (and sometimes in duos or trios), they grab the microphone and burst into song (with full backing track.) Our waitress, today, also Stars in one of Branson's feature theatre attractions, and sings in two others besides working at Mel's. Quite impressive!

What a great experience and fun for the whole family! Mel's came as a recommendation from a friend who had been before, and we were not disappointed! Kaitlyn, our sever, provided excellent service and had great food recommendations. Our table had the reuben, BLT and kids chicken strips, along with fried green bean and onion ring appetizers. The dessert offerings looked amazing, but sadly, there was no room left for dessert! Everything was delicious, and the singing servers make the whole experience next level!

Went on a family trip with 16 people, went early knowing it's a popular spot and they sat us quickly. The staff know what they are doing here and can take care of you. I tried their peanut sandwich and it was worth it for sure. Crispy fries etc. I will say their shakes and desserts are half the reason to go there so save some room for dessert. Family style or solo desserts. The star of the show is the staff, they sing every few songs and walk the place for videos and dancing. A few of them have fantastic voices. A fun experience for old and young alike. I'd return if I come back to Branson.

We really enjoyed Mel's!! We actually went twice during our one week in Branson. Ate food and had shakes on the first visit. Everything was great! The second visit we had dessert only. I highly recommend the ice cream nachos!! The singing servers make for a fun atmosphere!! Definitely recommend going here.

Such a fun environment! Note it’s very loud so if you have anyone with sensory needs you may need to bring headphones. They do offer vegetarian options. I had the Peace and Love Veggie burger minus the cheddar cheese and it was delicious! Everyone was friendly and welcoming, we look forward to returning when in the area.

Amazing experience! As usual. First, I love the vibe of this place. The singing servers are super fun and so talented. It's Christmas time in Branson, so they sang Christmas songs, country songs, and gospel songs. Totally my jam! And great service too. Even though our waitress was brand new, she did a great job. Now, let's talk about the food. They do 50's diner and monster (excellent) ice cream like nobody's business. I got a plain ole grilled chicken sandwich, which was very good, but doesn't really let them show off. I also got the veggie of the day instead of fries, trying to be healthy. Big mistake. Get the fries. They're SO good. Breaded. I love them. Fortunately, my son got the patty melt and fries (a total classic!), so I got some. Yum! My wife got the grilled chicken salad, but wanted more protein (she's whole 30). So she asked if they would put the chef salad toppings (ham, turkey, and bacon) on her salad too for an upcharge. I cringed, figuring they would charge her a fortune for adding a few tiny pieces of meat. But instead, they added like a half pound of meat for $3. Amazing! Check out the picture. My wife said it was the best salad she's ever had. Nice! And then my son and I split a 2 scoop sundae. You choose your ice cream flavor and topping(s). It's $9 for one scoop and $10 for two, so a double scoop is the obvious choice on SO many levels. Their ice cream is extremely high quality and delicious, and their scoops are huge! I just wish there were more plentiful toppings, but realistically, the old fashioned ice cream sundae bowls are pretty vertical, so not much room for the toppings to stay on there. Today's flavor of the day was mint chocolate chip, and it was incredible. All up, another amazing can-barely-walk experience at Mel's. If you're in Branson for vacation, this place should be on your non-negotiable must-try-it list. Enjoy! PS - Try the chili fries!

Great place for a simple meal with entertainment! This visit they put us in back room in back corner. Not the best place to sit, so if possible ask for main room. Singers seem to stay in front section more. I had my normal Ruben sandwich , good. Daughter had roast beef with peppers n onions, dry , just ok. Cherry malt is a must! Even if you think you are full, find the room !! Definitely should be on everyone's list of eats. Great singers and Christmas store close by.

What can I say about this place? The portions were insane. Huge veggie burger, even larger root beer float. I had to practically be rolled out of here. Our waitress, Grace, was very friendly and had a great voice. Really cool diner. Reminded me of an old place in Beverly Hills I used to go to growing up. The only suggestion I might make is to have the waitresses put their music up on streaming sites. I don't think people listen to CDs that much anymore.

Our group of 31 stopped at the shopping center to shop and enjoy lunch. We ran into a few locals that were waiting for the diner to open and reported to us that Mel's is a favorite for many years with singing waiters and waitresses. This was the most fun and delicious meal we've had during our several day stay in Branson. The singing wait stay were amazing and the food too. I ordered the most delicious chicken salad which had grapes, pecans and celery along with a side of mandarin oranges and crackers. My husband's banana split is the largest I've ever laid my eyes on and so delicious. So large that my husband said, "let's share". All the fresh ingredients with a whipped marshmallow topping. I shall never forget this dessert. Don't miss Mel's for the best dining experience!!!

I was on vacation with 8 family members and stopped in to celebrate our cousin's birthday. The food was wonderful, the service was great and reasonably priced, especially with talented entertainment! Sarah was our server. We ordered the Santa Fe wrap, Mel's mushroom and Swiss burger, Reuben sandwich, and chili dogs. They also brought a great dessert for the birthday girl. We were so glad we stopped there.

Love the food and music! We visit every time we are in Branson. My favorite is the chili burger. Save room for desert!!

We enjoyed our lunch here. The food was good - nothing special - but the staff was very nice and it's fun to hear them all singing throughout your meal. Don't worry, they don't sing your order back to you or get in your face and embarrass you. The wait staff just takes turns strolling through the restaurant singing songs. Most of the songs were popular music, but a few were religious songs. Like any good "attraction", you pay for your meal in the gift shop.

This place gets an A+ in atmosphere and service! The wait staff are delightful and the decor and ambiance (with the singing) provide plenty of family-friendly cheer! We patronized this diner based upon a recommendation from a guide from the Titanic museum nearby. Otherwise, I don't think we would've found this place as it is kind of tucked away amidst the chaos of Branson's many attractions. In my opinion, the food, in terms of quality/flavor, is very average diner food. I've had some really good diner food but this would not be one of those occasions. My wife and I both had cheesesteak hoagies with onion rings. While the flavor won't necessarily make your tastebuds sing, the portion sizes are huge! You definitely won't leave hungry. See pictures. I also got a slice of carrot cake to-go, which came with vanilla ice cream. Again, portion sizes of both the cake and the ice cream were very generous. However, again, the flavor was just not there. The cake specifically was mostly carrot cake-flavored batter, and did not contain any of the ingredients you expect in a carrot cake with the exception of random pieces of nuts. So in short, in my opinion, you are paying for generous portion sizes and a delightful atmosphere. It's worth a stop for the wholesome experience alone.

If you like live entertainment, this is a great place to go for dinner. The servers are also talented singers, and they perform throughout the meal. There's a good variety to the music, as well. We happened to be there celebrating my mom's birthday, so they gathered several singers to serenade her--she loved it! The food is delicious. The Reuben sandwich is perfect. Desserts come with a LOT of ice cream.

I was looking for a diner and (due to the holiday schedule) there were not many open. However, Mel's was open. It's a nice, typical diner with over-the-top desserts. The gimmick is the singing servers... and I think we heard 4 or 5 songs during our stay. Many classical anthems, but they snuck in a contemporary pop song too - which I think was great. The singers definitely have talent! I ordered the chili burger (no cheese). The patty was reminiscent of a Salisbury steak in terms of consistency. Please forgive me, but I do enjoy a Salisbury steak. I'm horrible, I get it. Also, I have a soft spot for battered fries. The portions are reasonable, maybe a touch on the lighter side. You exit through the gift shop with more CDs of your singing servers. It really feels like these artists are working their way until they make it big. I think if you know what you're getting into, you'll be pretty pleased. But if you wanted a quiet, non-disruptive environment - then you've been warned.

This place has good food and is fun to eat at - and they'll sing you a song too! They are friendly and the place is very comfortable!

The atmosphere was neat. Food was pretty bland and felt precooked. Definitely not worth the 85 bucks we spent.

Concept: Nice place for a dinner and show. The singing servers are really great. Better then I expected and enjoy each of them. Ambiance: Diner is a great way of describing this place. That is what it looks like. Old school, diner furniture with posters and pictures of entertainers. Food: Better than expected. Country fried steak was great, but I suggest brown gravy. Pot roast was tender and tasty. The Mashed Potatoes were fresh. The deserts were HUGE and great. My only issue this this place was it was not clean. Stuff on the floor and I had to warn some of the servers so they did not fall. Also, the cleanup crew hated their jobs. They all had an attitude. Would I go back, no. Been their and done that. Worth a try and expect to wait for your seats. Eat well, drink well and enjoy life.

Service terrible. Food cold. Music way to loud. Expensive. There are more comfortable places.

Always a good time for great service, good food and an old school ambience! Worth every minute and every dollar!

The place was super busy but moved quickly! We had a great time listening to the singing servers (some better than others lol) while we waited for our ice cream and fries. The sundaes arrived, and everyone's eyes were bugging out of their heads. "Two scoops" was more like four lol! Overall, nothing was particularly impressive but we had a good time. Gracie Lugo was our server and the most talented singer there. She was fabulous!

The food was a 3 but the entertainment was a 5 so it came out 4! Hubby's chicken fried steak tasted a little off and the mashed potatoes were pasty. Mr food also was not memorable but our server was entertaining with a beautiful voice. Now, the turtle sundae was outstanding and the two of us could barely finish it!

Singers are very talented. A lot of them also appear in the shows. Our waitress, Sarah Jones, was in Winter Wonderland. We enjoyed hearing her sing here and at the show. Delicious gluten free bun.

We have been coming here for over twenty years every time we visit Branson. Portions are huge and the atmosphere is so fun. The staff sing (most are in professional shows in addition to working there) and the talent is fantastic. It is a bit loud for people sensitive to noise, but our crowd loves it. This visit; we chose to get dessert only since we always eat meals and don't have enough room. We've tried about everything on the menu and it is all amazing.

Third time here. Very disappointed Server had tough time remembering Hamburger was horrible, buns were soggy and not from grease.

Great lunch here yesterday after some shopping! Andrea was our singing server and even when it got busy, she kept us liquid and made the experience enjoyable. Food was really good!! A Reuben and a patty melt were had and we both enjoyed our lunches. The singing servers did a great job performing too! Sorry no pics. We were hungry and entertained!

My kids and I needed some nourishment quickly. We popped into Mel's Diner and loved the retro decorations. And when they say "singing servers", they really mean it. Our server was fantastic, but she and her coworkers also took turns on the microphone and entertained us with beautiful songs. These women are amazing! I got a salad. My sons got a sandwich and chips, and shrimp with fries. All good, solid comfort food, veggies were nice and fresh. Reasonable prices. Also? Nice and cool inside on a hot day. After we ate, we wandered around the little "town square" style shopping center behind the restaurant.

They seemed tired of tourists, the atmosphere is great the singing was ok, the food ranged from ok to poor. Desert looked enormous but we didn't have any. We had cheesesteak and burgers a chicken salad poppers the poppers and salad were a mistake.

I hate leaving poor reviews for places, but I really couldn't find much positive about my visit here. There are a lot of rules posted as you walk in -- "don't complain about the live music being too loud" and "don't ask how long the wait will be" were two that stuck out. We got seated immediately and were surprised that the place -- despite being hopping -- felt a little run down and dingy. Our server came over pretty quickly and took our drink orders. We also put in an appetizer order for fried green beans and asked for a few minutes to look over the menu. I ended up ordering the grilled cheese, which I had to specify that I wanted without ham and bacon (which, in my book, doesn't really make it a grilled cheese, but whatever). My partner got the BLT. A few minutes after ordering our entrees, the green beans came out...and were immediately (I mean immediately!) followed up by our sandwiches. This is one of my big restaurant pet peeves. The fried green beans were fine; they tasted like the generic frozen ones that many bars and restaurants serve. The grilled cheese was OK; some of the cheese wasn't melted. The fries were decent -- again, you've had them before if you've eaten bar food. While the wait for our food was short, the wait to attempt to order dessert was ridiculous. Our server disappeared from our table for more than 20 minutes. He wasn't singing; he served the table behind us and next to us but even with us asking if he could come over, he just walked off. We ended up having to flag down another server and ask her to send ours over. By the time he arrived, we were ready to leave and gave up on dessert. The price was a bit of a surprise. For three sodas, 1 appetizer, and 2 sandwiches, the total came to $53 with tax. I've had much better meals for less. Finally, the singing is definitely...notably loud. It was a lot of slower songs which surprised us. There are also a stack of CDs and promotional flyers at each table. I would skip this place if I'm back in the area. There are a lot of places to see singing and a lot of places to get ice cream.

May 28, 2024 - The 4 of us stopped in for a late lunch/early dinner. There was plenty of close parking. Upon entering we were promptly greeted and given a choice of tables. We started with an order of fried green beans. They were fabulous! Two of us shared a Romero Ruben. It was great!! The fried catfish was nothing special, but the grilled cheese with ham and bacon was wonderful. It was so surprising how well the waitstaff sang!!! It wasn't something that we expected. Rachel, thanks for your service and wow you rocked the Alanis Morrisette "Isn't Ironic" song! We look forward to returning.

If I could this place a zero star I would. The food was disgusting. The quality was so poor. The meat was fake, soy burgers. The spaghetti sauce was out of a can. The chili was out of a can. The fudge was out of a bottle. The ice cream was cheap. There was nothing real in any of our meals. The check was outrageous for the poor quality we were served. $150 for garbage that i wouldnt feed to my dogs . We told the guy when we checked out and his response was "why are you telling me?" So disappointed. Don't waste your money on this garbage. The music was great.

I wanted a dinner show here in Branson, that's what I got. Music and singing by the servers. Yummy cheese steak 9.5, food fell out of hoagie bun. Grilled chicken with bacon and cheese 10 Double scoop of ice cream, sugar free vanilla for the wife and I had cookies and cream 11 out of 10. It was a lot if fun and a great price. $55 with an iced tea

Five stars for the memories we made here and will remember for a long time. Mel's Hard Luck Diner is known for their singing servers! We had such a great time with the entertainment during our meal as the waiters and waitresses took turns walking around the diner and singing their songs. Each one walked around as they sang and pretty much all came over to serenade our kids and interact with each one. My two year old looked forward to giving each singer a fist bump as they passed by our table. I was surprised how frequent the songs were (I feel like there was only a few minutes in between each singer) and we enjoyed the music and interaction while we ate. The food was decent diner food, nothing that incredibly stood out. But the focus for us was the entertainment. It was super fun when it was our own server's time to sing and came to sit at our table to sing to our kids for a few seconds. The whole family loved coming here and felt like we had front rows to our personal show.

We went here for lunch. We planned ahead. There were 80 of us on two tour buses. They were ready for us and had our tables ready. I had the patty melt with fries. The patty melt was perfect being toasty and greasy and all things a patty melt should be. The fries were hot and fresh. The employees were courteous and the service was very good.

The restaurant has a very cool concept where the waiters and waitresses switch off singing and go around the restaurant to serenade each customer. The food is more like the added bonus, but I wouldn't say the main highlight. The decor is cool and brings you back to the old school diner days, which is awesome. Foodwise, I got the pot roast, which was surprisingly tender despite being pretty thick chunks. We also got the catfish, which was decent. Most things are fried, so I wouldn't say there's much healthier foods, but it's a fun place to bring your family. You can even buy the waiters/waitresses studio recorded cds if you liked their music, which is a nice touch and great way for them to get their names out there. Fun experience overall!

First time in Branson and we were looking for a kid friendly place to take our gang. I read up on the reviews so I was already prepared for a wait but luckily when we got there, there was literally no line! Ok, i have no idea how anyone could have one negative thing to say here. This was PERFECT for kids. You get food and entertainment, our server Karen (i think that was her name? The main one) was so so good! Even though It was nearly closing time, you wouldn't think It was. Everyone was in a great mood, food was good and fast! Definitely a must go too especially if you have kids. Loved It!

We loved this place. They performed multiple songs while we dined there. Different staff sang and entertained guests. There was one older gentleman who sang bass who just killed it. He was so good. Everyone was constantly moving and always involved. Great atmosphere. The kids loved their dessert, and our sandwiches were great. I got the patty melt, and my husband got the Philly. Both great diner meals. Totally recommend. We will return. Loved the memorabilia all over.

This is one of our Go To restaurants when we come to Branson. Food is always decent and the singing is excellent! We love hearing all the different waiters sing while we enjoy our meal. A big plus is the gigantic ice cream sundaes. If you've never been here. It's a must while visiting Branson.

This place is so fun! I love how the servers sing live! Mel's Diner is full of energy and fun! Portions are generous and I love the old fashion diner vibe! I had the cheesesteak sandwich and it was sooo good! They used fresh sautéed multi-colored bell peppers, mushrooms and onions on it and the meat was perfect and melted all together with smooth melted cheese! Delicious!

Service was great... food was good but seems a bit overpriced for what you get... I can get a steak dinner at Texas Roadhouse for cheaper than my wrap and fries here... that said the ambience with the singing wait staff makes up for that. A place we visit each time we come.

Terrible experience. Place smelled like urine and mildewed carpet at the entrance. Food was way below average and bland. Manager was rude. Tables were ripped and taped back together. Nasty people and place. Branson visitors ----Save your money and go to longhorn or fuddruckers ( we got good food and service at both places) Our bill was $60 and not worth. $20. Sad, because this pace could be a really cool and fun spot. Oh and you'd better LOVE what you order (no matter how terrible it tastes) because they won't take things that are disgusting off your bill.

Always on our list to visit anytime we're in town. Food is good, ice cream is giant size. In May of 2023 my wife & I couldn't finish a single banana split between us, believe me I tried.

This place was pretty fun, the servers walked around and sang songs. The food was okay, the fries were great. But the veggies were way over cooked and flavorless. Grace was the best server, so sweet and talented. Overall it's a good place for a casual meal with some fun entertainment.

We loved the food! But the singing waiters were amazing! This was is a must for the true Branson experience!

Waited over an hour for a large group seating. But that is somewhat expected. The food was good. Not really outstanding or unique but it was good. I take that back they had real mashed potatoes. That was pretty awesome. The milkshake was a good choice. I was a little disappointed when the servers were dressed in regular street clothes. The regulars we went with said it's straight out of the 1950s. The singing servers is a novel concept. The sound system can certainly be loud. We did like seeing the couple dancing in the pack corner by their table on our way out the door.

Cute little dinner on the Branson strip. Basic dinner food, Chicken Cried Steak was delicious. Service was outstanding. The waitresses walk around singing throughout the dining experience.

Our first time here. Only came for ice cream. Did not disappoint! They are very generous with their scoops. The one scoop could be shared. Loved the staff and they sing throughout the service. Would recommend!

We ate here because my MIL really wanted to. The servers were awesome the dinner is adorable and everyone was friendly. The food was AWFUL! My husband and I shared a hamburger and it tasted like a lunch lady special. It was dry, rubbery and just plain nasty! My MIL chilli looked like it was from a can. My advice go for the ambience and get a shake.

In my last 4 or 5 trips to Branson, I've never made it to this place when they were open for a variety of reasons despite hearing about it from everyone because it's so famous. It is absolutely worth every bit of the hype! The food and service are amazing. These are not waiters and waitresses who sing... they are performers who serve on the side. The diner is a classic and fun throwback to rock and roll 50's era. I had the Country Fair plate, which is mini corn dogs, chicken tenders, french fries, and cream gravy (I think this was a choice of sauce - ranch, bbq, honey mustard, etc). It was a ton of food that would easily feed 2 - 3 adults or 4 - 6 kids. My parents split a bacon cheeseburger by some fancy name. Some of the performers sell their CDs in the cute gift shop at the back of the restaurant and will be happy to sign them for you as a souvineer. The ice cream dishes are HUGE!!!

Fun restaurant to fully enjoy the singing waiters. The shakes are so good. When we are in Branson, this will always be worth the time to enjoy the good food and service. The place gets loud and very busy so make it an early dinner stop. I would give it 5 stars but it does need some remodeling.

The gimmick here is singing waitstaff. If you're into listening to your waitstaff sing, cool; I came here to eat. I left full and satisfied with my experience. Mel's could use a deep cleaning and some updates to reflect the current Branson community. However, decor aside, they have a wide ranging menu. If you can't find something to eat, you probably aren't hungry. My dining partner and I started with an order of onion rings. If you like onion rings, make sure to get the basket at Mel's. They are very good. I ordered the High Rollin' Beef plate. Very good home cooking. Everything on my plate was tasty and prepared well. My dining partner had the Hit the Road Jack Grilled Chicken sandwich. It was also very flavorful and filling. We didn't have room for ice cream and didn't get back to try some during our trip. A future trip will most likely include a stop for a sweet treat. Go for the singers, stay for the food!

If you want a quick bite to eat late at night, this is your place really good fast service. I got the club and it was amazing.

mel's hard luck diner reviews . The food sucked. My nasty McDonald's for lunch was better. My husbands burger was a frozen patty that tastes like liver. All the people around us that got the burgers ate not even half of it and were also saying how terrible it was. My chicken tenders may not have been cooked all the way didn't eat them to find out. The ice cream wasn't homemade and sad part is we got a big one just because we were still hungry because we could not finish our dinner. Then left there and hit McDonald's. Worst food I have ever had. Sad part is the corn dog nuggets you could lit make from scratch and take less time and be so much better. The burgers could be made fresh and take less time and be much better. I think people go for the experience of the singing because it's definitely not the food and if they say it's good. Well they never had real diner food

Absolutely loved the atmosphere and the food was good. The desserts were off the chain. Been everytime we go to Branson