I never leave reviews but I feel compelled to after having the worst experience ever here. The server screamed at me and slammed my food down in front of me. I was so scared, I started crying and didn't enjoy the meal at all. Horrible service and horrible experience. Will never come back. read more

This review is for the burger with a side of fries alone - I do not bother with any other menu item and neither should you. Make note that this is a cash only establishment and does not offer reservations. The staff is not particularly friendly but not outright rude in an overall charming way. They fit right in to the classic NYC pub vibe among the plaid tablecloths and wooden walls. It feels like stepping back in time. The burger here is outstanding. It has the thickness and taste of a steakhouse burger with the crunch and juiciness of a smashburger (shakeshack meets Luger's). I would skip the bacon because this burger does not need it at all. The fries are also some of the best in the city even with the change from the round shape. I have had some of the desserts here and they are just ok. Come in for a burger with a side of fries. Eat it and leave. You will not be disappointed and will find yourself craving another before you know it. read more

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

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Long waits, need all party available in order to be seated. Once you're seated, service is quick. Many burgers to choose from, everything on the menu was classic however fell below expectations. Nothing really special... fries were underwhelming and drenched in oil. Wish they were standard fries instead of chips. Note: establishment is cash only. No atm in the restaurant, closest is the Wells Fargo across the street. Burgers were reasonably priced, really thrown off by the price for the fries.. $7.50 per order was surprising. read more

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

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I didn't like it, there was a hair in my food, it was crammed, stuffy, overall didn't like it.

Jg melons Bacon cheeseburger is delicious i highly recommend going here great fries too

NYC institution that have some of the best burgers, cottage fries, chili and bloody bulls you've ever had.

Food is good . Service prompt , with that said the staff is rude, unkind and nasty. Most have a terrible attitude . I can't understand this . Ambiance is ok read more

JG Melon is a complete hit or miss. The service is either great or a complete disaster (takes forever for the server to act on anything, they bring the burger well done when it was requested medium , the bartender can be extremely rude and yell at you!). Then other days the food is perfect and the people are nice. Is really like playing roulette at a Casino. They clearly don't care how they show up but as other options continue to emerge they will lose more business. I am frankly tired of this dynamic. In fact, I would rather lick the sidewalks of NYC than to come back to JG Melon. P.J. Clarkes is a much more consistent and reliable option. They now have my business read more

Was told this is one of the OG spots to get a burger, so I came with a friend and a good amount of cash (cash only establishment). My friend got there first and put us on the waitlist (no reservations), which was about a 45 minute wait for a 7PM Thursday night. The place itself was smaller than I expected, with a bar and a very small kitchen. The tables were pretty crammed against one another, but able to barely get by and sit comfortably. We both got a Bacon Cheeseburger ($15) and Cottage Fried Potatoes ($8). The Bacon Cheeseburger is pretty standard, nothing too special. If you wanted pickles or tomatoes added, it was a few dollars extra cost per item. The real winner was the Cottage Fried Potatoes. They looked like thick wedge potato fries, but they are very thinly sliced, which gives it that awesome crisp, and they of course fried it to perfection. So if you wanna stop by just to say you got a burger here, be my guest. There surely are other places to get the same quality burger without waiting forever at a cheaper price. read more

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

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I was there 10/21. food- dry burger and a dried out bun that fell apart. fries - meh service was fast, but never a water refill or coke refill. never asked how it was, he's lucky. cramped tables. our waiter was a total jerk! 2 burgers, two salads, 1 small fry. 80.00 . I feel ripped off. not going back, theres too many options in nyc with good food and a nice wait staff. read more

Love this spot so much - cash only so bring cash! The service was fast and friendly and we ordered a side of fries which def looked different than I was expecting! Overall cute spot and also very home vibes - I felt super comfortable there read more

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

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I frequented the original JG Melon on the upper westside in the 1970's, so I was excited to go to the upper east side version. Wait staff was so BAD I will NEVER go back. The burger was great, as I remembered and as i expected. The Waiter asked if we wanted drinks (no), menu's were on the table. He greeted us with no hello, just "What do you want??? A burger?" (no hello, or any kind of greeting) and we asked for a couple of minutes to decide. Over 10 minutes later i asked another waiter to send the original waiter over. "He's got a table of 15 and you're next in the queue!" we were abruptly told. Amazingly, the couple at the table next to us commented that the reply was inappropriate! Our waiter came to another table next to ours, they arrived after us, and brought them drinks. I gestered to him and he walked away! He came back 10-15 minutes later and asked why we were upset. "I've been waiting 10 minutes for you to take our order." His reply was "I came back in 10 minutes!" He was clearly annoyed with me! The burgers came and were good as I remembered. BUT the experience will keep me from ever returning! There are too many great burger places in NYC to put up with rude treatment by the wait staff. Oh, the manager said she'd talk to him, I have no expectation that that will happen and she could have offered an apology. I'll go down to SoHo and Kenn and Bob's Broom Street Bar, the trip from the upper east side will be worth it! read more

Food is so so and expensive, they ask for 20% tip or more for lunch time. Don't worth 40 per person for a set of burger lunch. If you didn't pay enough tip they will walk back to you and embarrass you read more

I was here a while back. Late 90s/early aughts. What can I say, it's an old school institution. The service is friendly and efficient and the burger was a 3.5. The prices are reasonable for the neighborhood. I'd come back for the ambience and a cup of chili. read more

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I had a really unfortunate and unpleasant experience with the staff. I left prior to being seated due to something the staff said. I genuinely hope that I just caught this person on a bad day, but wow was it so disappointing. I have wanted to try this spot for quite a while, and I do not have any interest in being treated that way again. read more

I want to start this off by saying I am super self aware when it comes to dining etiquette and the restaurant industry. I went to JG melon with some friends and was looking forward to an intimate evening chatting and catching up and eating great food. I didn't mind that they weren't friendly because most places in the city aren't. We got seated and ordered pretty quick and all of our meals were simple (cheeseburger with fries). The server was super blunt and I could tell he was just trying to be efficient. But as the night went on (I'm talking like 30 minutes later) we could feel them trying to rush us out. We even ordered dessert just to try and extend the time we had together. After about 45 minutes (total since being seated) they came over and told us to leave because they needed the table. NOW - Don't get me wrong, on a weekend at a restaurant in midtown in some tourist area that has a line out the door, I understand. But this was a Wednesday night and we weren't even seated for a full hour. There was no line out the door, maybe a couple people waiting by the front. But I live in the neighborhood and I'm not looking for the tourist experience. I just wanted a burger with friends at a cool local spot. Burger itself was fine. It was a good burger. Fries were super mid. Vibes were cool - like old school New York. But I wouldn't go back purely because it wasn't worth it. read more

An NYC institution. Casual, with super yummy burgers and spectacular French fries. Get there early because the wait can be lengthy. You can save the wait by eating outside like we did. Friendly staff too. read more

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

Very classic and old New York diner feel. The waitlist here is constant but it's definitely a place you need to check out at least once. We came here on a rainy Saturday for lunch and had to wait about 45 minutes to get seated at a table. The burger is definitely the most popular item here but my favorite was actually the cottage style fries. Uniquely cut with crispy edges and soft centers, these were definitely the most memorable aspect of the lunch. The burger is a classic, reliable burger - thick and juicy that tends to make a bit of a mess. I would recommend getting it medium rare with cheese and bacon. Overall good spot but the wait really killed it for me. I understand the old school feel but a virtual queue or reservations would be the only way I would return. read more

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J.G. Melon: A step back in time of NYC History and the perfect NYC experience. Snagging a corner seats at the bar, to the salt-of-the-earth bartender slinging frosty bloody bulls, and of course, to the quintessential cheeseburger. This remains one of my favorites in NYC -- it is a classic in every way. And, in my experience of ordering it rare -- I got a "god bless you" from the bartender on this visit -- it is always plump, juicy, and loosely packed. Even though it tends to come out closer to medium rare. One of the finest burgers around and one of the city's best hamburgers that has stood the test of time and continues to draw celebrities and clientele from all over the city and the world. Since opening its doors in 1972, JG Melon has been a beloved staple in New York City's culinary landscape. It earns its esteemed reputation as one of the oldest and most iconic restaurants in New York City. The aged American style and juicy hamburger characterize the decor stuck in the 1970's. The founders were named "Jack" and "George" (hence J. G.), and the "Melon" is for the watermelon art that passes for décor. When entering Melon's, a mahogany bar greets you, along with a large wooden menu pinned to the wall, green and white gingham tablecloths and a "cash only" sign. These characteristics make J.G. Melon unique. The dimly lit restaurant features close-together tables with a casual vibe and people sit elbow-to-elbow at the bar. Patrons are lucky if they only have to wait a mere 45 minutes for a table on a weekend afternoon. Visiting J.G. Melon for the first time will make you want to become a regular, where the old-school waiters and bartenders could know you by name. The photos of watermelons, vintage posters covering the walls and the recognizable nostalgic music add to the ambiance. The Cheeseburger: Perfectly seared, juicy, and topped with a melt-in-your-mouth American cheese slice, this burger is simplicity at its finest--a true testament to the magic of fresh ingredients and expert execution. One of the finest burgers around and one of the city's best hamburgers that has stood the test of time and continues to draw Celebrities and clientele from all over the city and the world. Cottage Fries: Forget the regular fries; JG Melon's cottage fries are a game-changer. Thick, crispy, and golden, these potato rounds are the perfect accompaniment to any burger. One of the finest burgers around and one of the city's best hamburgers that has stood the test of time and continues to draw Celebrities and clientele from all over the city and the world. read more

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First time here. They are cash only and wouldn't let me (pregnant woman) sit until my husband got back from across the street where he went to get cash. Even though we were sitting outside and 85% of the tables were open. The burger was mid, much too small for the bun and the fries (pictured) were burnt and essentially chips. read more

I heard really good things about the burgers and fries at this place so we tried it out one afternoon. We came around lunch time and there was no seating available for our group of 5 inside for immediate seating so we sat in their outdoor dining area (where we could be seated right away). They turned on the heaters and it was surprisingly not freezing inside. There was a huge line of people waiting to be seated after us so if you do try to go I'd expect a wait. I ordered the burger, fries, and a fountain coke. Everything was just fine for me, nothing amazing. Then I was even more shocked when the bill came and it cost $33 for what I ordered! This price for what we were given was just insane to me. Overall the food was just fine, the price was quite high and I probably wouldn't come back. read more

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Cheeseburger! So good! I heard this place was pretty legendary especially when it came to their burgers. And it did not disappoint ! Definitely going back when I'm in town read more

Classic! Reminds me of the old New York. The staff is trained well. The burgers are old school. I wouldn't get the fries unless you like cottage style. The packaging is neat for take out, Cash only so bring those twenties, fifties and hundreds. The ambiance is classy pub a step down from the polo bar but maybe polo was inspired by JG? if you on the east side and want a burger GO! read more

Overrated burger in my humble opinion. The atmosphere is nice but there are such better food options in the area.

Good for what it is, burgers were good, standard chili. Service is basic, tight seating, old-school NYC bar interior.

I can't believe I've never eaten here. And we came by around 5:30pm on a Friday evening and were seated immediately (yes!). Honestly, you just need to stick to what they're good at here (I learned), get the cheeseburger, a cup of the chili and the fries. Do NOT skip the fries, lol. It's your typical bustling NY institution. The seats are pretty tight, and they are cash only. The servers are great and you can't help but notice pictures and other trinkets that pay homage to the watermelon throughout the bar. It adds to the character of the place! Already plotting to come back again really soon. read more

J.G. Melon may have lived off of their popularity in the past. The burgers are decent, but really not worth the terrible service and wait times you'll encounter. read more

The word of the day for this review is: fine. I will say right off the bat that our waitress was great. Our group of seven was begrudgingly prepared for a 30+ minute wait, but we were seated fairly quickly, which was a relief. I got the cheeseburger medium rare, as did my friend, and our burgers were much closer to medium. Disappointing. The burger was fine, but not particularly noteworthy, and it was a bit pricey for the quality. The table loved their cottage fried potatoes and raved about how crispy they were while also being soft on the inside. I suppose they're worth getting if you're a fries person, but I am not, and these didn't change my mind. Again, they were fine. The tomato soup was flavorful but much too thick. A couple of people in my group said it looked more like vodka sauce or pasta sauce. They weren't wrong. It was fine, but I was hoping for something more reminiscent of the tomato soups I'd had before. Overall verdict: This didn't live up to the hype, but everything was... fine. read more

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This place has gone down the drain. I've been a loyal patron over the years but today was the worst experience I have ever had. Went around 5pm on Friday afternoon. Wait was not long (20min) yet service was slow. Burgers took a long time to come out. Came out medium to medium well and dry despite asking for medium rare. Bottom bun was soaked and immediately fell apart. Fries inconsistently cooked - some were soggy while others were overcooked. Lagunitas draft beer was lukewarm. Waters were not refilled during the meal. Waitress handed us soggy bills for change. read more

Gets uglier every visit. The bartender who happily took our money and served us sat by silent while his partner told us we couldn't take the seats our friends who were leaving vacated. We had just ordered another round so the bartender who was kicking us out so his friend could sit down said we could have the drinks outside. As we walked outside the manager then said we couldn't go out with drinks. Jerk bartender then denied it. Then a drunk regular butted in. This used to be a great neighborhood / New York joint. Now it's just filled with rude, aggressive, and entitled staff and customers. Never going back. Go to PJ Clarke's for a better experience. read more

We were staying in the UES so I felt compelled to try out the burgers at JG Melon. The whole restaurant is decorated with melons (generally watermelons) and they move people in and out of there pretty quickly for packed little neighborhood spot. We got cheeseburgers which are pretty small. I could easily eat two. We ate them with the cottage fries. The burger is fine. The cottage fries are a funny shape, like potato cheeks. We also got a turkey club, again fine. What I liked the most was probably the feel of the place. It's dark inside and cramped, and the waitstaff is very efficient and business-like. You order the burger, because everyone else does and because they've been coming forever, so you want to fit in. read more

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Not the welcoming place it used to be. Strange waiter guy yells at people waiting near entrance for table despite medium crowd. (The place is typically shoulder to shoulder with a line out the door.) Always order more cooking time than you're used to. Burgers are usually charged outside and VERY rare inside. I suspect they try to keep things moving quickly on the grill. Perhaps heat is too high. read more

I'm not often in the Upper East Side, but I was going to the Met to take advantage of the great resources NYC beholds. Because I was going to be in the area, I decided to cross JG Melon off my list as well. You can never go to a museum on an empty stomach! No reservations, and there is always a line, but that is the charm, so you have to suck it up. A nice fella will write some chicken scratch on a little piece of paper, and you wait. I'm afraid that if this busy piece of paper went missing, there would be chaos in the streets outside of JG Melon; very curious if this has ever happened. But I digress. Don't expect a text from Resy that your table is ready, because all you're getting is an old-school yell. If you're a pro, you put your name in and get a drink at a neighboring bar. While you're walking to the bar, I would also recommend killing some time by stopping at the ATM to pick up some cash. This will lessen the awkwardness when the bill comes and they tell you it's cash only, and all you have is plastic in your wallet. No, they do not accept Apple Pay either (I'm a cash guy, but seriously, it's 2025, get a damn card reader; unless you're laundering money, which in that case, keep doing what you're doing JG). Once you're finally seated, the fun begins. Drinks are a must, but do be warned, they are so good you will extend dinner and cancel your plans to go to the Met (true story). It's old school NYC, so get a martini and class up the night. Chili is something that I wouldn't usually ever get at a restaurant. Respectfully, I think chili is best eaten at home, where you know exactly what's going into it. A lot can be hiding in a bowl of chili, and I have trust issues. However, I decided to take a leap of faith and get the bowl of chili because it was recommended, WOW. That shit is tasty. I respect the low quality of beans, though my Texas roots say that any beans in chili disqualify it from the title of chili; the low quality almost fooled me into thinking I was back home, sitting on my mom's couch, eating her chili. As good as the chili is, it only had one packet of saltine crackers. I've never had saltine crackers with chili, so if the chili had no saltine crackers, I would call it a perfect 10, but one packet felt a little stingy and really ruffled my feathers. Especially since I was sharing the bowl of chili, so we opened up the cracker bag and divided them up like children sharing a lunch. I am just going to assume our bowl was a defective bowl of chili, and the one packet is not a standard. The staple is the burger, and for good reason. Every restaurant in the city claims they have the best burger, and they are all great, but this is my new number one. Please don't make the same mistake I did and order it without bacon. Although the burger is the supporting actor to the real star of the show, the chip-cut fries that I will be dreaming about. Chrispy, soft, and very addictive. I would recommend ordering an extra side and then doubling it just to be safe. Since we waited so long, even after devouring a remarkable amount of food, I still had the appetite of a pride of lions. So I doubled up on dessert, don't worry, I worked out earlier. Chocolate chip chocolate cake was great, and the lava cake was dormant but still delicious. Both were good, but I would probably skip next time. An insanely delicious meal with excellent service, I will see you soon, my new friend, but for the love of god, get a damn card reader. A very sharp 9.7 read more

My partner and I were curious about this place because it's supposed to have one of the best burgers in the city. The food was good, when it finally came, which was ~15 mins after everybody else who had ordered at the same time got their food. Staff was pretty inattentive, we flagged someone down to ask where our food was, she said she would be right back, but then never showed up again. Nobody ever came by to refill our water. The atmosphere is ok, old, which is part of its charm, but that doesn't make up for the service. I wouldn't particularly recommend it, especially not for the price point. To be honest, Five Guys gets you a burger that's about 85% as good, without the table service charge and the poor service. Emmy's Squared is a few blocks away if you want a fancy burger. If you want an old place, Peter Luger. Also, we paid the jukebox $1 to play two songs, which, in our ~40 minutes there, never played. read more

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

Iconic! Definitely trendy, packed and loved the vibe. Its cash only, but they let you know when the seat you which is good. Bar is quick moving and bartenders are nice. I love the old school cash register in the middle of the bar, despite the look it's not as basic as it seems, I had a great glass of Miraval rose and my bf had an excellent local lager. We were sat pretty quickly and our server came right over to see if we needed a minute. We had to both do the cheeseburgers, he had the Chili cheeseburger and I went standard. Added two sides of cottage fries and a cup of chili for the fries. The bun seemed to be a nice light brioche and perfectly melted cheese slice... my only knock down on stars is bc we both had them very thick and a bit overcooked. Tasty though and if you're a thick burger person, this is definitely the place for you. Not hungry enough for dessert, but the people around us had some and it looked delicious. Very cool neighborhood spot with clear history. We would definitely go back. read more

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

This place was alright, I thought the chili was pretty good and the cheeseburger was also pretty good. I think the chili was supposed to be hotter but maybe I'm wrong and it is a New York City style to have chili that is barely warm. The was not close to the best burger i have had but it had a nice char and the grey poupon mustard was really good. read more

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

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No frills type of burger place right in the heart of upper east side. Obviously only get burger and fries as this is what they are known for! The burger was excellent, and I am usually not one for burger fan. There is not much that came with the burger, with a few thin slices of onions and a few pieces of pickles, rather bland in my opinion, but then again what more do you need on a burger? The fries were very good, served crispy and hot. Overall come here if you are craving a classic burger and fries, definitely one of the best on the upper east side! read more

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

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Best Burgers on the Upper East Side! Note: CASH ONLY (atm close by!) I went on a Friday night and had to wait around 20 minutes for a table. I will admit the tables were a little crammed inside but the atmosphere was incredible. It felt like I was surrounded by regulars and true New Yorkers. Waitress was going a million miles a minute, and while she was great and fast, she came up to our table and asked what we wanted and when we delayed, she goes, I'll just come back and walked away. Recommendations: Burger - classic and delicious Cottage fries - kind of look like potato chips but were great. Definitely recommend each person at the table get their own. If your a burger foodie this is the UES spot! read more

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They charged me for a burger with a hair in it. $16 for mediocre service and a hairy burger. Not worth the wait.

Pretty busy and loud, 30min wait for 2 on a weekday for dinner. Cash only. Very casual, seems like a staple because of its historic nature. read more

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

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