Melt Bar and Grilled

American restaurant · Lakewood

Melt Bar and Grilled

American restaurant · Lakewood

4

14718 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, OH 44107

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Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null
Melt Bar and Grilled by null

Highlights

Melt Bar & Grilled dazzles with gourmet grilled cheese, lively vibes, and a fantastic selection of vegan options and craft beers, making it a must-try.  

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14718 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, OH 44107 Get directions

$$ · Menu

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14718 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, OH 44107 Get directions

+1 216 226 3699
meltavon

$$ · Menu

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delivery
takeout
dine in
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reservations
outdoor seating

Last updated

Mar 5, 2025

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@limeinacoconut7

Is it the best food in Cleveland?!... yeah, no, probably not. But it’s an ENTIRE menu of grilled cheese sandwiches!!! And I’m sad now because I just found out that the original one in Cleveland Heights that’s I was going to recommend is permanently closed 😭😭😭😭.

Epik CLE Eat(s?)
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@meevchan

Home of the melt challenge

The food & drink HIGH is EPIK in Cleveland
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@beezy392
Cleveland food spots
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@caecilya

The best grilled cheese ever

The CLE
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Ava Brewer

Google
Amazing food and so many vegan options! We went on Thursday, so there was a designated menu with all the vegan options, but everything is very clearly marked on the regular menu too. Our server was excellent! Super conversational and told us about the history of the restaurant! Some of the amazing vegan options included an eggplant Parmesan sandwich, honey tofu sandwich, pasta with meatballs, French onion soup, Caesar salad and Mac and cheese! Just wow!

Derek Rader

Google
After years of mixed experiences at Melt Bar & Grilled, I finally decided to give it another try—and I’m so glad I did. My wife and I went for lunch two days ago, and we were both blown away. I had “The Graduate,” a grown-up take on grilled cheese, and she loved the “Lake Erie Monster.” Both dishes were fantastic, and the service, especially from our waitress Julia, was excellent—friendly and attentive. The fresh-cut fries were perfect, and the restaurant’s revamped décor gave it a fresh, inviting feel. I enjoyed it so much that I returned the very next day after an appointment in Lakewood and tried the “Wake and Bacon.” It was amazing—every bite packed with flavor, and the selection of craft beers added another level to the experience. Melt has been completely transformed with its updated menu, fresh staff, and revitalized space. It’s like a whole new restaurant, and I’m so glad I gave it another shot. I highly recommend people rediscover this place—I certainly will be back again soon!

Greg Geis

Google
Great atmosphere and vibe. Attentive service and knowledgeable staff. Vegan options were great and delicious. Portions are large and fresh. Their sourdough bread is perfect and their hand cut fries are delicious!

Dave Umina

Google
Went and tried out the new old favorite Melt Bar & Grilled. Our sandwiches were delicious, the place had a fresh look and our server was great! Only suggestion is to bring back the Dudes Abide. That was my favorite.

Grish240

Google
Great staff and atmosphere. The food was delicious and prepared perfectly. I felt indulgent consuming so much food but it was so good.

Eli

Google
$300 dinner for 9 people. Received food quickly. But our drinks from the bar took way too long to receive. I asked to have my mom's drink remaid as it was made incorrectly. After waiting 10 minutes, mom received her drink made correctly, including the garnish, along with a dirty look from the bartender. My long island (my drink of choice) was made almost correctly (I did not send it back). I drank it and then ordered the electric blue vodka based drink, and that drink was delicious. As a manager myself, I would not have been satisfied with my bartenders products or attitude. The food was good, the waitress was great. Other than the vents on the wall, the place was clean.

Perdido Nino

Google
We’ve been making a point of stopping here for over a decade when we come to town for Cedar Point. Everything here is really good and I usually get the Dude Abides. This time I got the Monte Cristo and it was delicious. My buddy normally gets the Godfather but it doesn’t appear to be on the menu anymore. I’ve been to other grilled cheese restaurants and they don’t compare to this place. A definite must try if you’re in Cleveland.

Janice Snyder

Google
Celebrating a Thursday, so we're enjoying Vegan Night at MELT. Great new menu. Lovely cocktails. We're adding this restaurant back into our rotation!

Walter S.

Yelp
A favorite of mine has had a recent overhaul and I felt it my duty to go and check out the changes (new menu, happy hour, cocktails et al) and I must say that although the menu has shrunk dramatically the overall vibe, quality, and experience has stayed intact, which means I left quite content and, as usual; overly-full in the best of ways. Melt has been a 12 year love of mine from my first visit to Cleveland after having seen it on Food Network. In the post-covid years many of their locations have been shuttered but the original still stands tall. I typically will opt to sit at the bar at Melt and with the reintroduced Happy Hour in play, this was a no-brainer. I tried one of their new craft cocktails (Track 6) and it was well balanced, boozy, and delish. I also tried the HH menu Tofu Wings (another fav of mine) and the HH portion was the perfect size to snack on whilst I sipped and looked over their revamped menu. Torn between two options I turned to my bartender/server, who was incredible btw, and they helped me make my choice: The Parmagedon + a side of fries. After a brief wait my meal came out and I was overly happy with my decision. The menu change made me branch out from my usuals and tho I do miss some of the customize options they once had, I was satiated overall. I also was able to order a Great Lakes Christmas Ale with a cinnamon sugar rim and it was the perfect ending to a great visit. As I mentioned before, service was phenomenal! They were attentive without being overbearing and also well versed with the menus and offerings, happy to provide suggestions and info to assist me in making my decisions. While this Melt may vary from your previous visits and experiences please don't let that make you weary of coming back. They have really adjusted their business model to left them focus on quality over quantity when it comes to options and I am happy to say that everything I had and experienced this trip was just that: quality.

Staci M.

Yelp
I'm still dreaming of my Wake & Bacon sandwich. While visiting Cleveland last night I stumbled upon this place on a mission to find some good food and chill environment. I got both at Melt Bar and Grilled. Monday night's seem to be very laid back. The hostess was inviting as soon as I walked in. Bartender Samantha was super sweet and attentive.. I ordered the Wake and Bacon (extra extra crunchy bacon), mac and cheese, and an amaretto sour. The mac and cheese wasn't what I personally was looking for but everything else hit the spot! I'll be back.

Brian M.

Yelp
Not quite the Melt we remember when it was the hottest restaurant in Ohio. Menu is very limited and much like any other place that serves sandwiches. Service was slower since I think they are running lean. I gave the old Melt five stars. This one is a three stars.

Leland J.

Yelp
I wanted to review Melt after the new revamp and I am very impressed. If you're looking for the old experience, this isn't it. However the food was excellent. I had the Eggplant Parm and my wife had the Parmageddon. Both sandwiches were great, mine was on the new Ciabatta bread which was crispy and flavorful. The Parmageddon was similar to the old version but with noticeably fresher ingredients. The beer selection is good as always. This ""new" Melt retains the old vibe but brings some fresh new options to the experience. I'd definitely recommend checking it out if you haven't been here in a while.

Ariel C.

Yelp
Visited here on a Monday afternoon and it was not too crowded-- had a cute Halloween/Christmas/Rock and Roll theme going which was pretty unique. We ordered the Monte Cristo sandwich (comes with fries and really good berry sauce) and Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac and Cheese. It was very heavy, but definitely filling and the satisfying carb-heavy comfort food that we expected when we decided to come.

Richard W M.

Yelp
New menu with excellent food including many vegan options. Recommend you stop by thee tasty options.

Al L.

Yelp
For what type of restaurant it is one could not complain service mediocre food was ok nothing to write home to mom about

Kevin W.

Yelp
Plain a SIMPLE great food. If you are on a diet, do not eat here! Yummy in my tummy time!!! Polite and friendly staff and great food is the perfect combination. Drinks are not bad, but be prepared to wait a little, but it is sooo worth it!

J K.

Yelp
All the yes, Matt. Went to Lakewood today for lunch & it was the Melt we remember & love. The French Onion Soup is spectacular. My Caesar salad was fresh & crisp. I love love love the bread plate which is perfect with lunch soup & salad. The hubs had the Graduate & fries. He loved it. As someone who frequented Melt in Lakewood as an OG, I am so happy they have gone back to their roots. And the Pumking on tap is also a beautiful thing.

Kathleen D.

Yelp
Great reopening of a classic. Menu has been revamped to be more diet friendly and even vegan. Good to see Matt Fish in the kitchen Saturday afternoon $2 domestics. Deal! Thx Julia. We will be back to sample more!

December E.

Yelp
I don't know what all the hype was about this place, we thought it was terrible. They were out of half the things on the menu and I could've made my mac & cheese at home, but that was the only thing left that I felt like eating that they actually had. Barely had any chicken on it. And flavor wasn't really there.

Tiffany E.

Yelp
The service was very slow and they were not very busy so no excuse. We ordered the Turkey Special they only have during November and it was AWESOME. I love this sandwich. Unfortunately the "normal" menu sandwiches were lacking. They have changed their menu and did not like the sandwich choices. Our table also had the graduate hoping for a nice gooey classic grilled cheese. It was horrible, the cheese was barely melted and there was only 1 thin slice of cheese between two big slices of bread....not gooey goodness. The Cleveland Cheesesteak was dry and not great. The sandwiches are expensive for what you get, they do not come with any sort of side. I will only return in November for the turkey sandwich, otherwise I will not be visiting next time I am in town. Too bad, this was always one of my highest recommended restaurants when people ask where to go.

Mike M.

Yelp
Food was very good. Service was subpar...worst in the entire park all day. Mid day surprisingly not super crowded. The spicy Italian melt was very good and it was nice to add bacon and cheddar to the fries. Good thing I did because they tasted like standard frozen bag. Solid value for cedar point park food though.

Tammi W.

Yelp
First stop on Cleveland trip. Melt Bar and Grilled. I had a fish grilled cheese and he had a chicken Parmesan grilled cheese. We split a fried banana sundae. Electric blueberry lemonade was very good. All was quite tasty.

Leigh D.

Yelp
Food Ok Service Great Lots and lots of tv's wont be back wasn't pleased with tv's!!! Food was horrible

Makyah B.

Yelp
Food took forever. And was not worth the wait. Undercooked Was expecting better since it was a long wait. Will not be returning there. Small water glasses, without refill.

Antony A.

Yelp
I have loved the Melt for over a decade. I've had all their sandwiches. Last night I had my last one, pierogi and sausage.... So good. It's sad to hear the business is struggling. Despite that the staff did absolutely the best they could and when things went wrong, they always made it right. Please always survive melt. It's a great idea you are going to do some rebuilding. That will help the ambiance.

M M.

Yelp
Fun atmosphere, good food and service. The sandwiches are great. They are unique and great comfort food. Giving 4 stars because the appetizer sampler was heavy on the fried food. The breading, while crunchy, was very thick. Everything else was delicious.

Ben W.

Yelp
The Monte cristo sandwich (which used to be great here) is now just an over fried, disgusting mess. Also, the preserve they give you is just so watered down. It's really disappointing when you compare it to when the restaurant started and Matt's original vision. So disappointing and I guess lesson learned. I will say the French fries were delicious and the kids liked their plain jane grilled cheese sandwiches, but let's be honest, it is difficult to mess that up. I hope for the restaurant's sake and Lakewood it improves

Stef M.

Yelp
This was the worst food! No seasoning on the chicken wings, macaroni and cheese, missing cheese, peach mimosa terrible. The Server forgot my fries. Very disappointed with the meal. No taste at all.

Dallyn S.

Yelp
Here on business, and our server forgot about us after taking our drink orders. We ordered, it's been 20 minutes, and we're still waiting, watching everyone else get their drinks while we haven't even ordered lunch yet. A different server came over to confirm our drink orders (one lemonade and one water), but our drinks still never came. Thirty-five minutes later, we got our drinks. The original server apologized, saying it's busy... but at least 2 tables seated after us received their drinks immediately after being seated, from our server! Busy or not, we were here first. Usually, I would have walked out by now, but my colleague really wanted to try them. After the poor customer service, I was still charged for a small side of ranch dressing that I asked for with my fries. It shouldn't have been a charge for it in the first place, but it could have been comped for the poor service. I have heard amazing reviews for this place, but I will not return or recommend. I wish I could have gotten the same service that all the positive reviews had. I really wanted to love this place.

Caitlin O.

Yelp
I remember being really taken with Melt when they first opened in the Heights. It may be that my tastes have changed, but Melt offers only very heavy food options. It's akin to eating at fair grounds. It's tasty if you're in the mood for it, but don't make plans without your couch involved after a meal here.

Jamie M.

Yelp
CLE Comfort food at its best. Kindergarten combo is my go to order. I like to jazz up my 1/2 a kindergarten with some extra add ons with a salad & fries for my two sides. All the yum & comfort with reduced gluttony fueled guilt.

Christopher D.

Yelp
This was the second time we have visited a Melt (Independence, OH). Our food came out and the Sandwiches were basically all bread with very small portions of meet in the middle. The fries were soggy and tasted like used burnt oil. Our server seemed overlaoded with tables and it took forever to get served. I made the final mistake of ordering desert which took an additional 20 mins. My gut hurt all night from the dirty cooking oil. Not sure Im going back after this. Our first time was much better, maybe this was a fluke.

J D.

Yelp
This comes up as a must eat in Cleveland but I was disappointed. There was not a ton on draft or in bottles. Sandwiches were greasy and lacked flavor. Staff was nice and restaurant was clean. They have a couple of Free spots out back. There was an Arepa place across the street and another restaurant right across the street that looked good.

Brian K.

Yelp
Party of 4 for lunch on MLK. Place was busy & we had a small wait, about 15 minutes. Personally, I think the menu is too big (both physically and the # of items on it. However, we enjoyed our food very much and the service was great. All of the vintage blow molds were a nice surprise.

Kyle P.

Yelp
If you'd asked me ten years ago if I had ever heard of Lakewood, Ohio, let alone the fact that I've now been there ten times, I would have looked at you like you were insane. But, when something this good is just off the highway between your old home of New Jersey and your adopted city of Chicago, it's hard to pass up. Melt was an early Triple D feature, and it's easy to see why. It's not quite a dive, but fine fine dining this is not. Nor would you want it to be. Located on Lakewood's main street, Melt has some of the best sandwiches you've ever had, fully loaded with fresh, delicious ingredients, and a shockingly large menu. Usually with a menu like that, the results are varied, but not here - everytime I come I try something new, and I'm always delighted. Be sure to check out the Christmas Story house just a couple miles away after you've chowed down at the midwest's best elevated grilled cheese restaurant!

Ra M.

Yelp
Every time we go there it's not packed. The server was on point. I am never disappointed with my food. You definitely need to try this place once.

Parker D.

Yelp
Poor service. Waited 23 minutes for an order that was sitting on the shelf already made. Customer food is probably cold

Binnan O.

Yelp
Ambiance: This place has a pretty laid back bar vibe. There are deep rich woods, comfortable seating, knick knacks on the wall, and TVs to keep you comfortable and visually occupied. The staff at this location were a little aloof but friendly. The main annoyance was that food took about an hour to come out which seemed excessive when we literally just ordered sandwiches. You might blame it on the dinner rush but I tried the Lee Rd location a few years back and had the exact same experience. Food: As my second time at a Melt, I can comfortable say the food remains just OK. I've tried the maraconi sandwich, parm sandwich, and the war pig and they were all fine but not amazing in any way. The sandwiches tend to be mushy, greasy and heavy. For all the stuff they fry on their menu, nothing is every crispy and the buns/breads are never celebrated like they should be. I wonder if the sandwiches sit too long and lose all their texture? They are large sandwiches at least which you would expect given the roughly $15 price point. The fries are pretty standard and also tend to be a little soggy and the house salad is pretty pitiful with three sliced cherry tomatoes and a fistful of low-quality bulk-bshredded cheddar. There are better Cubans like Sabor Miami and better Reubens like Slyman's at similar price points but much higher quality. Melt isn't bad by any means but it's slow and slightly expensive for only diner-quality food.

Mark B.

Yelp
Ridiculous prices. I mean 17.00 for a chicken salad??? Been here twice and both times was sick afterwards. Gross food and prices through roof. Avoid

Jessica C.

Yelp
This place was great the food was good. I would definitely come here again on an empty stomach stomach. The server was kind she checked on us frequently. The ambiance was good it had a bunch of decorations and a few murals. It really fills your stomach.

Doni F.

Yelp
We went to The Melt over the Christmas holiday with our out-of-town guests, and everyone enjoyed their sandwiches and sides and the old college memories they had when they used to dine there as young adults. Many of their favorite food offerings were the same, and they got a big kick out of enjoying those dishes.

Marissa R.

Yelp
We came here on an overnight trip to Cleveland based on all the hype. I will say that their menu is very expansive with different options for all tastes: vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free included! Unfortunately, Melt earns a 3-star average rating. I ordered the Purple Parma half sandwich with a side of mac & cheese and a pickle. I love eggplant, but this was so dense that I couldn't finish. I wished the eggplant was a little saucier, crispier, and less greasy. The flavor was pretty good, but nothing to brag about. My boyfriend ordered a burger with fries and was surprised to see that a regular order is basically 2 burgers (2 patties) on separate sandwiches (no buns). A half order would have been 1 patty. We both were extremely disappointed with the mac & cheese, it was very "plastic-like" for lack of better word-- reminded me of American cheese slices or Velveeta. We both only took one bite. Despite neither of us finishing our plates, we both felt extremely uncomfortably full, even hours after eating. Service was good; our waitress was nice and accommodating. The restaurant is clean and was surprisingly empty on a Friday night. Parking is easy (designated Melt parking in the back, street meters, and a 40¢ lot). Overall, I probably wouldn't protest if someone else wanted to come here with me, but I wouldn't go out of my way to visit.

Amy J.

Yelp
The backyard bbq sandwich meat had a weird artificial off almost gamey flavor which overwhelmed the also not good barbecue sauce and the processed slices of cheese half melted on the sandwich. Not a good barbecue pork sandwich at all.

V N.

Yelp
Biggest problem was lack of food items available. No Macaroni cheese bites, no pierogi, no barbeque sauce, etc. It's disappointing when the items you were especially looking forward to having were not available. We almost left the restaurant, but decided to stay. That was a big mistake!!! The food was bad. my big popper sandwich was lack luster. The only flavor was from the raw jalapeno pepper. The Cole slaw was nothing but raw cabbage & raw onion, not much in the way of seasonings or vinegar. Tomato soup was very thick & not great. Panera's is better. The past Glory days are gone. We felt bad for our server, but with a staff change we were invisible. Couldn't even get a water refill. One bathroom was out of toilet paper & the other had pump hand soap, that was watered down. Makes you wonder what the staff uses. The dinner staff just hung around the bar, because of lack of foot traffic. Melt has lost its past cheesy golden luster. Won't be going back, will suggest to others to avoid this establishment. We left Melt & went to Forage to get the Pierogi that my out of town guest was craving. Corners seem to be cut everywhere to the detriment of the customers, staff & the business it's self. It's sad to see a restaurant in decline.

Jacqui B.

Yelp
Came here on a quiet Friday afternoon, managing to miss lunch and dinner rushes (yay!). We had a wide assortment of food, from jalapeño popper sandwich, chicken & waffles, Korean pulled pork sandwich, and the chorizo & hash. Everything came out quickly and was delicious. Note: some of us chose the "half" option, and it was the right choice. The full portions are huge!

Trish C.

Yelp
I don't know whether it's a two or three. I'm going to lean more towards a 2 bc the Cleveland Philly cheese was def overpriced for what I received. I'm not sure if restaurants skim when ppl Uber eats. But my experience is always a let down when dealing with restaurants and Uber eats. I'm assuming bc they're sending the order to yu so you're not there to correct it or return it? Idk either way 21$ for a sand-which that looks like below is unacceptable. There is barely any steak on this also yu can see the mushrooms clumped in one spot the meat also had no taste at all. I would like to give it another try in person to see if it's really just the service they give to Uber eats costumers that is lacking. The fries were undercooked and limp Compared to the pictures of this sandwich posted on yelp pics I should have taken this back. Unacceptable and even worse to know my food was disregarded bc it was a delivery. I must say the Mac and cheese was good. Honestly the best I've had from a restaurant. Prob not the best judge bc I usually don't order Mac from restaurants. But it was good

Jason V.

Yelp
They have alot of fried food I tried the jalapeño poper and got heart burn horribly lol

Raymond D.

Yelp
Initially thought the price was high but the full sandwich was lunch and dinner and all I ate for the day so portion size is great. Melt got me a good chicken and waffle meal for the first time in forever. The loaded baked potato side was a good choice over fries.

Dan S.

Yelp
Good food. Wanted to leave a good review but Yelp is making me put in 85 characters so I'm going to ramble on a little bit. Don't know how many words this is. But it must be close to the requirement.

Kathy S.

Yelp
There's nothing worse than looking forward to something all day, and then being totally let down. Here's what happened: I ordered the chicken fingers with French fries and a side of barbecue sauce. I also ordered the lemon and blueberry bread pudding for dessert. I placed my order through Uber Eats. I got my chicken tenders with NO French fries! Essentially, half my dinner was missing and I paid full price. Mind you, their food is not cheap. Then, upon taking my first bite, I realized that the barbecue sauce they sent was in fact NOT barbecue sauce--I have no idea what this was. It was the same color as barbecue sauce, but was completely tasteless and had a sandy, gritty mystery substance in it. Thank goodness I had some leftover chick-fil-A sauce in the pantry to dip my tenders in. As for the bread pudding, what I received was a dried out rectangle of some sort of cake, and there was not a single blueberry in it. Additionally, the "blueberry sauce" was a watery, berry-flavored liquid, also devoid of any actual blueberries. All in all, a VERY disappointing experience, and this was not the first time Melt dropped the ball. Fortunately, there are plenty of other local restaurants for me to patronize in the future, as I won't be ordering from here again.

Shaji K.

Yelp
Looking for lunch in the area on a Saturday afternoon, where a surprising amount of shops/restaurants were closed. Thankfully this spot was open and had plenty of seating inside. Looking through the menu cant be daunting, as there are a ridiculous amount of options to choose from. Settled on the half Wake & Bacon w/fries ($7.50) to go along with a local draft beer ($7). Meal comes out within 15 minutes - a densely packed half sandwich with a pile of salted fries. Bread is lightly toasted and heavily buttered (greasy to hold), with a runny egg, bacon, and cheese inside. Good balance of ingredients in the sandwich; could have used more salt, though the fries helped. Service started off okay but didn't come around after getting the food. A fine enough spot if looking for some brews and bar food.

Jedediah C.

Yelp
As a Cleveland native, I was able to enjoy to the rise of Melt through the 2000s and since moving away I often recommend Melt and especially Lakewood Melt (as it is the original) to anyone asking about the greatest place to enjoy for food and atmosphere in the Cleveland area. Traveling back to Cleveland this week I filled my family with stories of gourmet grilled cheeses, the bustling atmosphere and delicious cocktails. On a Saturday afternoon with a busy Lakewood street fair, a 30 min wait for a table was realistic. Our hostess was engaging to not only our party but the other parties waiting. Inside of the 30 min wait we watched as other tables got up and no one cleaned the tables. When they finally cleaned one up for us, I sat down and had to then accept that the fact that i was sitting in a chair with melt's award winning mac and cheese on the floor and now stuck to the bottom of my Jordan's. (The rest of the tables stayed dirty for the rest of what is going to be an epic failure of an experience.) Our server (who wasn't cleaning the tables, the hostess was) finally came by to take our beverage order after 10 min of us sitting here. She opened with "Hi, my name is **** and I will be taking care of EVERYONE" with a negative emphasis on 'everyone. I can easily see that the restaurant was under staffed and tried to lighten the situation by telling her "you are doing great, we can see that you are having a hard time". I was trying to put positivity into the experience in hopes that we can just have a decent one ourselves. I ordered the cream soda old fashioned and my partner ordered the Buffalo Bloody Mary (a drink garnished with blue cheese stuffed olives and a skewer) After 10 more minutes the server tells us it's going to be some more time on the drinks and takes our food order. Glasses of water at least would have been nice if the bar is backed up, but those weren't brought either. (A step in service to buy time for the bar, assuming the order gets put in and then the drinks come out). We order the Parma Italy and The chicken and waffles, subbing fries for a side salad and a watermelon cucumber salad. Another TWENTY minutes go by and the server slams my now melted old fashioned on the table splashing the melted ice everywhere and you guessed it, no garnish or rim on the bloody Mary. There wasn't a chance to send the drink back because the server ran away. She ran away so fast and was not seen again for another 30 min. We were the only table of two tables in the section. At this point it isn't a no the lack of staffing, it's the downright neglect of the server. Our food comes out with no dressing for the side salad and cheese for the watermelon and at this point the sandwiches are almost room temperature because they sat in the window for god knows how long. I knew it had to be long cause the cucumbers where now cooked and watermelon warm. Not one time did our server ask if anything was ok, she showed up half way through our meal to offer us a box signaling to us that she wanted us gone and the experience to end. Then when she dropped the check and i immediately put my card in it so I can also end this terrible experience, she ran away to EAT IN A SIDE STATION! In the end, another server (I believe the nice queen that ran our food) had to run the check because our server took zero responsibility for our food or experience. There was tops, 6 tables in the entire restaurant, this wasn't an issue of short staffed, this is pure apathy and lack of pride. Melt is a landmark in Cleveland and a ping in every tourist destination. Please do better job with creating a team that can bring its reputation to life.

Thomas Z.

Yelp
I love this place. Good service, good food and Beer. Great place to go to watch a game and hang out.

Cayla S.

Yelp
We went to Cleveland for the Pinball and Arcade Show, ClePin. While we always planned to try to Melt, it became more of an incentive when we received 20% off along with our wristbands for the show. Say no more! We're there. We ended up going to one that wasn't the closest to the location of the hotel. I mention this because they didn't know about the wristband coupon at first but they called up to the restaurant to verify the percentage off. Not many restaurants make this effort so we really appreciated it. Okay onto the food. In the shortest form, it was excellent. The service was right in alignment with the food. I tried the Half Combo which includes half of a grilled cheese sandwich and two sides. It allowed me to try to the most things without having to order separate items. My cheeses were even halved! I had half Muenster and half Pepper Jack. The sandwich was delicious but I have to admit that the star of the show was that Mac n cheese! Sorry mom...just kidding! It was soooo good but not better than my moms, but close, very close. The fries were pretty good. The decor this place was probably my favorite. If you loved the plastic light up holiday Santa Claus, Easter Bunny and Jack-o-Lanterns that people often placed in their front yards in the 80s and 90s, then you'll love the way this place is decorated. It was a nice and fun walk down memory lane. If you're in the area, go here people! Don't miss out!

Alex W.

Yelp
Not my best round of pictures but I figured I would still show what I ordered. I ordered Fried Pickles for an appetizer and our entrees were the Wet Hot Buffalo Chicken Melt and the Cleveland Cheese Steak. The fried pickles were meh. I also much prefer pickle chips as opposed to spears for fried appetizers, but the breading was still good. The Wet Hot Buffalo Chicken Melt was tasty but I've had more flavorful sandwiches. The hot sauce wasn't extremely hot which was nice to get that heat but still enjoy the sandwich. My biggest qualm was the chicken on the sandwich was awkwardly placed and was very large so I had to navigate eating it (more chicken is never terrible though!) The Cleveland Cheese Steak was the best item we had. The Cheese, meat, sauce, and bread were all very well balanced and tasty. Would definitely recommend trying. The atmosphere is very unique here but fun. The food is good and they have sweet tea (huge plus for me.) and they also have vegan/vegetarian items. Overall, this place has decent food with a unique atmosphere. Until I try something that really woes me, my score will stay at 3/5.

Ian A.

Yelp
Had a great to-go meal at Melt. Door Dash messed up the order but the staff was outstanding and made sure I got what I ordered. They carry Athletic too so I had a NA IPA while waiting. Always a fan of the original Melt in Lakewood, especially the fun vibe.

Meg N.

Yelp
Awesome French onion soup! They have unique options in addition to the classics, but stay away from the General Tso's sandwich and the like. Lesson relearned: don't order ethnic foods that are different from what the restaurant specializes in. An interesting combination in theory, but the chicken was a little subpar. Next time I'll stick to home base, like pulled pork.