This cash-only neighborhood stalwart still has amazing burgers, though they are uncomfortably served on saucers. They have abandoned their former round fried potatoes for something that is not fries, or potato chips, or particularly edible. read more

J.G. Melon - The remnants of the potatoes they now serve. - American Near Me - New York, New York

Hands down the best burger place in town. It's very casual and chill. It gets busy especially for dinner and on warm nights. It's an all cash only place, so make sure you don't forget to visit an ATM first. They also won't sit you until your entire party is there. read more

First meal in New York! In town for a quick 2-day trip with a friend. I knew I wanted to stop by at some point, so we made the walk half past midnight for a late night snack. By the time we came in there weren't many people out which worked actually worked in our favor, as we were able to get a table with ease. I felt very inclined to try JG's fries with a side of chili. Both times were very yummy, but on a hungrier day I'd opt for a burger. The staff was very professional and courteous. JG is a must try spot in the Upper East Side! read more

J.G. Melon - Chili Bowl + Fries - American Near Me - New York, New York

Started unpleasantly, but not uniquely. Me: I arrived early to hold a table for our group. I don't know how many people will show up, but a table for 4 or 5 should be safe. Doorman: When everybody arrives, we can seat you. Me: I don't know how many people will show up, so I don't know who "everybody" is. Doorman: That's okay, when everybody arrives, we can seat you. The logic floors me, but the doorman and I finally agreed agree that when one other person arrives he will find us a table.. Once we're seated: Me: We'll start ordering now. Some other people might show up. Waiter: We can only have four checks at a table. No more than that. Me: Just put it on one check. We'll divide it ourselves. Waiter: Four checks maximum. Me: One check is LESS than four checks. Waiter leaves It all gets better from there. Everyone grew friendly. The doorguy and the waiter were jokey accommodating and friendly. The bill wasn't too outrageous for the Upper East Side... and don't worry about the cash only policy... there's a Well's Fargo bank with cash machines across the street. The bartender signed by BEST BARS IN NEW YORK BOOK... of which J. G. Melon is listed. The burger was plain, but cooked just right. One of us had a roast beef sandwich, and said it was very good. read more

Honestly, I was underwhelmed by the burger after reading all the stellar reviews. The patty was thick but lacking in flavor. Although it was juicy as claimed, it cried for a bit of salt/seasoning. But it was satisfyingly greasy-perfect for a late night pick me up. Definitely will try it in-house instead of to-go and willing to give it another chance. read more

J.G. Melon - American Near Me - New York, New York

Substandard staff distract from a great menu at this Village offshoot of the original Melons. I've had Applebee quality service there twice, the second time was just a couple weeks ago when buffoon bartender tried to upsell us at every visit to table then rushed us when we didn't bite. Was a work lunch and no, I didn't want a bloody or a beer, or a starter, or coffee. Bring me what I ordered. Host tried to seat us at tiny two top in an empty restaurant. Just silly. Better to go to Deninos down the street. read more

J.G. Melon - 2 cheeseburgers 2 bloodies 2 expensive - American Near Me - New York, New York

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Very quick friendly service, I love that the burger is just simple, not too much piled on top and super juicy. I recommend the turkey club as well, all simply put together with fresh ingredients, so delicious!! read more

J.G. Melon - Turkey Club Sandwich, Cottage Fried Potatoes, cheeseburger - American Near Me - New York, New York

I have been there many years ago and it was soooo wonderful.Coming for an exhibition from Europe to New York I wanted to indulge in some movie setting good old fashion New York fare. Unfortunately I never got to order anything since the guy at the entrance was the rudest person I ever encountered anywhere I have ever been....Shame on you! read more

I mean? It's an institution. Even though my family is made up of three vegetarians, it's our favorite local spot. Chef Salad with no bacon, cottage fries, and mozzarella in carozza. Plus a couple of martinis, of course. Perfect night on the UES. read more

JG Melon feels a lot like Christmas. A 90's Christmas, in movies like Home Alone and that other good one-- Home Alone 2 (we don't talk about Home Alone 3). But I think if Kevin McCallister had dinner here, he'd probably wish Christmas never existed because the burgers were so terribly dry. It was like high quality cafeteria burgers. My guess is, they cranked those suckers out, because on a cold Autumn night where the streets were empty, this place had an hour wait. Will I give JG Melon a second shot? I wouldn't want Christmas to be ruined twice. When I say this restaurant is like Christmas, I mean the log cabin decor, old school checkered table cloths, and the loud upbeat customers. Although, it's located on the Upper West Side and if I was rich enough to live there, I'd be upbeat as hell too. If anyone knows of any sugar mommas, help a guy out. JG's redeeming qualities were the fluffy fries that look like pickles and the cup of chili. If I were to come back, I'd get the appetizers and beer and call it a day. And the sassy waitress. She does not give. a. fudge. She kicked a chair at our table when it was in the way and before I can finish my sentence that my friend was in the bathroom for ordering, she cut me off and waited another table. I think her crass adds to the attitude to the restaurant but I can see it being unpleasant if you were to frequent multiple times... Which I'm not, because of the burgers. read more

**CASH ONLY!** My boyfriend and I moved to the area recently and finally made it over to JG Melon and SO glad we did! We dined it (sat outside) on Monday around 7pm and it was pretty busy still. We got cheeseburgers (come with lettuce,onion and pickle but we got pickle only), sides of fries and a cup of chili. The burgers were the best 13$ can buy - juicy, well cooked, thick and cheesy! I LOVED the fries and they were also delicious in the air fryer the next day. The real star was the apple sour cream pie we took home. OMG. Think horizontal slices of apple layered with sour cream with a delicious crumble crust. I ate it cold but they also offer warmed with a slice of ice cream. Would definitely recommend going on a week night, as it gets busy, it is CASH ONLY, but they have a take out window you can order out with! Definitely make a stop here, much better than any Shake Shack or Five Guys and reasonable prices! read more

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Cash only. There is a Wells Fargo across the street. We were seated and served promptly. We both ordered the same burger. One was medium well other was almost well done - dry. When cooked right, it is good burger. read more

J.G. Melon - American Near Me - New York, New York

Came here on a Friday night expecting a long wait, but the line moved quickly as the majority of the parties ahead of us decided to leave. I personally thought the burgers were decent, three star worthy. Burgers were juicy and tender; however, not overtly memorable and the bun was completely soggy. What made this restaurant a 1 Star was the service which was incredibly rude and racist. Including tip, I gave $40 and asked for $2 back. The waitress came back and said "in America, we usually tip 20%. But fine, if you want your money then here" and threw two dollars on the table and walked away. I'm Asian, born in the Midwest and raised in California so yes I am American. Other than NYC, tip is not 20% in America... And 20% would have been $39 total. It's unbelievably problematic and inappropriate that she would make such a racist comment, and all for a dollar. Zero chance I'd ever come back. read more

J.G. Melon - Cheeseburger - American Near Me - New York, New York

To wait in line is part of the meal because everybody loves the burgers and the country fries. It's the very essence of wonderful junk food!

Food is overrated. The burgers were bland, I had a better burger at Five Guys. I don't get what all the hype is about. Service was great though. If it is out of your way, don't waste your time and find a better alternative. read more

I absolutely love this place, although its very hard to get a reservation/seating here. The burgers are delicious, as well as the french fries. Its even good for picky eater. You could order a plain cheese burger with some french fries, and with out a doubt, your kid will love it. Just make sure to cut the burger in half if you get that exact order, (mainly for the picky eaters) since the burgers are huge. But dont worry, theres also a thin turkey burger which my mom normally gets when we go out together. Overall, I highly reccomend if you dont mind waiting a little! Side note: It is very VERY hard to get a table after around 5:30 pm. So, that leads to an early dinner. read more

The most delicious burgers in an authentic tic NY diner. Totally wonderful! Bring cash only.

This place has been around forever and a day. Nothing much has changed. Because you don't fix what's not broken. I come here every now and again to have their Bacon Cheeseburger. It's one of my favorites in the city. Simple but delicious. The decor is the same for decades, but I'm ok with that. The service can be gruff, but oddly enough, I'm ok with that too. Seems VERY New York. read more

J.G. Melon - Bacon Cheeseburger - American Near Me - New York, New York

We went to JG Mellons, our favorite burger spot in the city. Having never been disappointed, we left somewhat troubled. They recently changed the fries from round silver dollar fries to a thin almost overly fried potato chip. I hope this isn't permanent. The burger and grilled cheese were absolutely delicious. Would have enjoyed them more with better fries. read more

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Great burger & fries. Fast. Expensive!! Cash only!!!!!!? Very busy, sat outside instead of waiting 45 minutes read more

Went here for dinner with my girlfriend and was told there was a 25 min wait because they could only seat at half capacity (CoronaVirus caution) Sat at the bar and the bartender (want to say his name was Bob) was so nice and gave us recommendations. Both got the bacon cheese burger and cottage fries and both had a tap beer. Holy WOW. This place lives up to its name. Simple no frills burger. Juicy as can be. All together for the meal was $52. CASH ONLY. Nice little spot of old NY read more

J.G. Melon - Bacon Cheeseburger - American Near Me - New York, New York

Best burger you will ever have and you better have cash. Worth every bite and distance to get there. read more

J.G. Melon - American Near Me - New York, New York

We were told about this place from a friend and when we looked up the reviews it was only 3.5 stars. We automatically doubted it but still gave it a shot. I'm SO glad we did. It looks like a little hole in the wall and was pretty packed when we went in. It was a 30 minute wait and we just ordered a drink from the bar and waited for our table to be ready. It's cash only so have your cash ready! My hubs ordered a cheeseburger and I ordered a regular hamburger with everything in it (lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles). It was soooo good and the fries were enough for me and my hubs to share. So happy we decided to come and the hamburgers were huge! They definitely deserve more than 3.5 read more

J.G. Melon - American Near Me - New York, New York

I absolutely love JG Melon, and have been coming here for years. Their burgers are, in my opinion, the best in the city. Every time I come, I go with the cup of chili as an appetizer and a cheeseburger. Their chili is phenomenal, with the perfect amount of kick. As for the burger, it's just amazing. I personally do a cheeseburger with grilled onions. Sometimes I'll save some Chili and put it on the burger as well. Really can't go wrong. My only gripe would be that the burger is a tad bit small, but quite frankly with the chili appetizer you will not leave hungry. Love it here and would keep coming back. Actually did takeout the other day during COVID-19 and honestly it was just as good as eating in. Can't wait to sit down for another meal here soon. read more

I feel that I would come back and have that fantastic cheeseburger. The place does not accept credit cards, which caught me when I saw the menu. The service was fair, and the ambiance was too loud, probably because I went there on a Friday night. read more

Verdict on the burger: great crust and juicy, with good proportions. However, the burger was underseasoned, which made salting between bites *critical* if bacon wasn't present. Cottage fries were hefty and had a thick crisp crust and a fluffy interior. These were great, and definitely the highlight of the meal. The chili was pretty standard. I wouldn't order it again. $60 (w/tip) for two burgers, an order of cottage fries, and a chili is hefty even for NYC. read more

Long-standing spot that is worth visiting on your Burger trail in NYC. I tried visiting JG last Friday night around 9:00 pm and the lines and crowd around the building were way too long for me so we came back again for an early Saturday dinner (right around 4:45pm) and there was no line and plenty of open tables. Service was friendly and efficient and remember it's cash only. The decor has this watermelon theme that's kinda funky. Now we both tried the classic popular items on the menu - the cheeseburgers (with bacon and extra pickle for me) and cottage fries. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked the fries. I'm usually a fan of thin fries and thought these would be too thick and mushy but they were perfectly crisp. The burger was really good, but not what I'd consider great. They keep things simple here so you add your own ketchup, mustard and onion/pickle. I personally like my burgers with some sort of sauce or guac to balance out the bun and meat. So for me this was a little bit dry. I ordered my burger medium and it was cooked with just a bit of pink so the chefs def know what they're doing. I'd go back again and try the chili but wouldn't go out of my way for the burger again. read more

J.G. Melon - Bacon Cheeseburger and Cottage Fried Potatoes - American Near Me - New York, New York

Had the classic burger and fries with a heineken finished off with a cheesecake and a coffee. service was great. an nyc classic you could say. tables were packed together but i'm not complaining! would for sure come back and bring more cash (cash only btw!) read more

J.G. Melon - Cheese Cake - American Near Me - New York, New York

FIVE-STAR EXPERIENCE ALL AROUND. People keep saying this place has fallen off. No way. The burger is incredible. All the food is great. The bar staff is incomparable. I will come here every time I'm in the neighborhood. The jukebox selection is perfect. read more

In a city without a shortage of tourism, it's nice to find a tourist destination restaurant that backs up its reputation with its food. In a place like this, I have a suspicion that the burgers aren't as good as they once were, as it's hard to maintain fabled standards forever, but the fact that their burger is still this good when I went is an impressive feat to me. Other costs to fame include long lines on rainy Sundays and incredibly cramped seating situations (waiters can't even squeeze in and out sometimes), but if you've never been here, I'd recommend coming out at least once, especially if you are into burgers. I followed Bon Appetit's advice (they have a YouTube video where they try everything on the menu that I'd suggest watching before coming) and got the Bacon Cheeseburger with Cottage Fried Potatoes and Chili--absolutely no regrets. The patty is quick massive, perhaps too big for the bun to really hold with the additional pickles/onions/bacon they provide without breaking the top from the bottom, so I'm a bit confused about people complaining about price/portion in other reviews, as other places in the city have much more egregious values. Anyway, the chips and chili were above average, and I would recommend them if you have the stomach for sides. It's really a great burger... maybe a little underseasoned/overcooked, but the burger itself is well balanced, and the bacon and cheese really elevate it. I'm kind of torn between 4 and 5 stars. After coming here, I can't say I can remember a better burger I've had, but if I rate this on the same scale of other things similar, I don't know if I would consider this something I'd be as excited to go to as much as restaurants I give 5 stars. It very well be the best burger I've had and the best burger in NYC... but at the end of the day, maybe I'm not the best one to judge. read more

I ordered the cheeseburger for $12.75. It was cooked medium to my specifications and came with onion, pickle, tomato and lettuce on the side. I also asked for a side of mayonnaise, which was brought alongside my burger. This was a pleasant surprise! In my 22 years of dining experience, when I ask for a side of mayonnaise, I always have to ask a second time after the food has showed up. Anyways, the burger was cooked to perfection. It had a nice crisp on the outside while remaining juicy and tender on the inside. I ordered a side of fries with my burger. Let me tell you, they are not your run-of-the-mill French fries. They were like potato crisps with a warm fluffy inside. It was a beautiful blend of crisp and fluff that made for a delectable consistency. Finally, the Bud Light (served in a bottle, as pictured) was chilled to a very drinkable temperature. It was refreshing and paired with the burger The servers were kind and incredibly attentive. The atmosphere was cozy and inviting. Cannot wait to go back! FYI: Beer, burger and fries wound up being around $30. So worth it. read more

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Came here for dinner recently because my wife and I have been in the neighborhood for a couple years and hadn't been in yet - JG Melon has been around forever so we had to try it before we move in a couple months. We both got the burgers because that's what this place is famous for. They were good, the meat isn't overly seasoned and was cooked to perfection with the outside slightly seared and crispy with the middle nice and juicy. The fries are also good, not sure what you'd call them but they're similar to wedges or something - tasty though. We also tried the lentil soup which reminded me of chili only with lentils instead of beans and no meat. I enjoyed it though, would probably order it again. Our waitress was really nice also and checked on us a couple times during the meal which is always appreciated. The main negatives are that it's cash only which can be a minor inconvenience and it's also fairly expensive. The burger isn't that big and doesn't come with fries, so a small/medium sized burger plus fries is about $25 after tax. A little pricey even for New York. All in all though, the restaurant gives the feeling of "Old New York" when you step inside. It's a New York institution that mostly lives up to the hype even though it's not perfect. read more

Wish I could review the food but unfortunately we didn't make it that far. After being seated at 10:30 pm and taking one of our orders, the server began yelling at us about not ordering enough food. The rest of our party hadn't even ordered yet. After saying we could go elsewhere she decided to take our orders and "see if it was enough for the kitchen to even make." After that treatment we just decided to leave, it was not worth putting up with service like that. A much better late night alternative is the Penrose! read more

Worst burgers I've ever had. Dry and blend . There's no sauce, nothing, just meat and bread . Service was nice, little slow. It's pretty cheap, but I don't understand the hype. read more

Everything food service and ambiance was great .a real classic simple but done to perfection

Great Burger and excellent drinks. The staff was warm. friendly and very helpful I highly recommend for midnight cravings read more

I'm just...at a loss for words...JG Melon is supposedly known for their amazing burgers yet I can't really tell the difference between their burgers and McDonalds. Actually, correction- I think that McDonalds is better. I was super excited to try JG Melons and decided to get the cottage cheese fries with it as well since I don't know how one can have a burger without fries (quite frankly, it's inhuman)! Unfortunately they could not save the burger as they were as soggy as can be. JG Melons raves about their burgers being juicy but I found the burger to be ridiculously dry and extremely oily instead. If "being juicy" is equivalent to "so oily you want to eat the burger holding it with napkins", then yes, the burger is juicy...all in all I'm glad I knocked JG Melons off the to-do list and will never return. If you want a fantastic burger, spend a couple more bucks and look to Emmy's and Minetta Tavern. read more

J.G. Melon - Terrible - American Near Me - New York, New York

Living on the UES, this place has been on my list of places to come to since before I even lived here. This is more than an UES staple, this is a NYC staple, must go to. Or at least that was what I had always heard. Everyone always talked about how amazing this place was and how they were the best burgers in the city, so naturally I had wanted to go. I finally got around to going a few weeks ago and I had gone with one of my friends. Now I don't think this place takes reservations, and there is typically a long-ish wait, which is why it has probably taken me so long to go here. But we decided to finally go and I'm happy we did! Going in, I knew there was a lot of hype around JG Melon, so I had pretty high expectations. Did it live up to them? Not totally. Was it good? Of course. Would I say it is the best burger in NYC and I need to rush back? Definitely not. The burger is good. Let me start by saying that. And I knew going in, it was by no means, this massive, fancy, gourmet burger. I knew it was a simple, "fast-food like" style burger, on the thinner side. It was very very tasty. But I feel like you could get it other places too. I did the Bacon Cheeseburger with a side of their cottage fries. I liked it, but not something to die for. I'd go back, but I'm in no hurry. Also I wasn't a fan of the fries, a little dry for my liking. Also, this place is nothing fancy at all. Very classic, old school, casual place. But I also knew that going in and places like this are great. Very tight the way they arrange their tables tho. Happy to have finally gone here, and definitely worth a visit, I just think it is over-hyped. read more

I was recommended by a great friend and so glad I was. My husband and I got a spot at the bar and chatted with the locals. Great, strong drinks and the hamburger really hit the spot! I love this dive bar, that has been in NY forever! The people and the conversations were the best!! I will see you on my next visit JG. read more

Best burger in town hands down. Good service. If you're looking for something fancy or for a long dinner this is not the place. Burgers and beer! The perfect New York joint. read more