I love my black people man! they sure know how to cook a meal & fry some chicken. I came here to celebrate my uncles birthday & even he was satisfied & that's an alpha man who is never impressed & hard to please when spending his own money LOL! The fam bam enjoyed this meal & the food came out so quick. The service was great & it was nice to see the diversity inside.. I just love Harlem! They have such a nice vibe (but not better than Brooklyn) LOL - follow my page on Instagram @sinsineats read more

Melba's Restaurant - Oxtails, Mac and cheese , & peas and rice - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

In town for my brother in laws bday and he wanted to try Melba's. He and his wife really enjoyed it. I on the other hand felt the food was just alright. Being from the Deep South this food lacked the soulfulness I'm accustomed to. I had the catfish which was softly fried, it tasted good but I like my fried fish cornmeal coated and fried a little more crispy. The Mac and cheese was bland and the rice and peas were hard tasteless and not edible. The service however was really great and the restaurant atmosphere was cool. read more

Melba's Restaurant - Country Catfish, Down Home Peas & Rice - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

5/2023 Well, well, well, can you say amazing suggestion!! Amazing is exactly what this visit was for us! This place came highly recommended by 2 New York locals who are not affiliated w each other. I made a reservation for 6, and we were good to go. We arrived a little before reservation time. We were offered seating inside the bar area. No problem, we're always down for pregaming. The bartenders were very lively. Collectively, we ordered. Frozen Rosè - So so so good!! Melba's HIT (Harlem Iced Tea) - Perfectly made and devoured. #OrderedTwice White Russian - A HIT !! #OrderedTwice We all enjoyed our drinks so much! We knew the food would be a yum conversation piece. Well, let me tell you how delicious the food was, we ordered the following. Turkey Meatloaf Jamaican Oxtails Melba's Signature Dry Rub Wings Fat Ham BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders Tres Mac & Cheese Charleston Fried Shrimp Roasted Beet & Baby Arugula Salad Country Catfish Strips The entire table was pleased! Each and every food item came out well presented, well seasoned, and delicious. I personally loved my oxtails so much. My cousin loved her experience so much, she returned back the very next day. Super fantastic service by Helen and Brian. They took care of all of our libation and food needs and were pleasant. We received a table visit by manager Aaron. That's always a great touch of customer service. Coincidentally, we had a lot in common w Aaron as he spent a considerable amount of time in Baltimore, so Aaron became family within 2 minutes!! Lol I definitely look forward to visiting Harlem again so I can partake in this deliciousness! I can also say my meal here was the best meal I had during my visit to New York City! read more

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It was a lot smaller than I expected. The chef and host were standing outside when we walked up and didn't come in until after we walked in. Our server was nice, but didn't really come to check on us often and they're was only 2 other tables. They have their own hot sauce which is OK, but smells more like Asian spices. It's pricy and I thought the food was going to be amazing, but they don't have meat that you can add to a salad unless you buy $14 ala cart fried chicken, which brings me to the chicken... seriously over cooked and dry couldn't even get off the bone. The server was nice and bright out more, but still burnt and I didn't accept it. They took it off of the ticket, but then charged ala cart prices for everything which was basically just as much as the meal maybe was a total of $4 cheaper and that was for 2 orders of fried chicken. Not sure if other locations are better, so not sure if I'd recommend even though they supposedly beat Bobby Flay with their chicken. read more

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2nd time dining here . We just left the taping of the Tamron Hall show and we were starving. We arrived at the right time as we were seated right away. My friends ordered the crab cakes and I ordered the Southern Fried chicken. Everyone enjoyed their meals but I was disappointed with the Creamy Mac & Cheese. I found it to be very dry and not creamy nor cheesey. Overall the food was served hot and we enjoyed our meals. read more

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If you're in Harlem & looking for good soul food melbas is the only place to go! The fried chicken & Mac & cheese are to die for !!!

I took my niece and my twins out to celebrate my niece graduating from HS. I asked where she wanted to go eat and she said MELBA'S! I live in Harlem but had not been to Melba's, so yesterday was my first time. I made reservations, called when I was running behind and was treated professionally. Waited for our table for 5-7 mins, when she said 2 mins. I saw the hostess assembling our table, just a minute before she called us to come and sit. We waited 10 mins just to be greeted by our waitress and another 10-15 waiting for her to ASK what we wanted to drink. It was busy, however, not too busy to check on your customers. She came over, out of breath, rushing through her speech and moved around, I hardly caught most of what she was saying to us. She had a very aggressive disposition, but I said, let me let her rock, maybe she's overwhelmed.... she told us her recommendations for food before asking if we were ready to order. Everyone ordered, when it got to me, I was in the middle of ordering when a customer at another table got her attention and proceeded to ask her a lengthy question. After a good 2 mins, she came back to me, let's just say, communication between us proved to be difficult and i caught her catching an attitude more and more as time went on. Instead of addressing WHY I looked upset (my face will show what my mouth won't say), she fed into it, giving me more and more attitude. I just wanted her to serve us better, she didn't pick up on that hint, using the busyness of the restaurant as an excuse. We waited, had to be 20 mins for our food to come, the guys giving us our food didn't know what went to whom...very chaotic. the food, my daughter said her chicken tenders were tough to eat, I had a chicken sandwich, and the meat was tough as hell. My niece had chicken and waffles, she loved it. I tasted her waffle, excellent! She also said her chicken wings were tough. It's like, chicken that was fried, then left on the stove for some hours type tough. Only reason i finished is because I'm paying for it and didn't want to waste food. Fries were dry. My iced tea that we got after waiting for that as well, had ice in it but it was hot. I asked, hesitantly (when I would ask or make a comment, she gave me some more attitude) for more ice....it's the next day, I'm still waiting for the ice. Time to pay, she took forever to come to us, never asked if we were ready for the check. When she did finally come to us, she dropped the machine on the table and walked away...I don't go out to eat often, I didn't know what to do, think, with that machine, but don't worry, she gave me plenty of time to figure it out because....SHE NEVER CAME BACK TO HELP ME!! She seated 3 tables while I fought to figure out the machine (don't assume I knew what to do with it, which is what she did, in my opinion). So, I got up and went to the new male hostess and asked him for help. He didn't know, found her by the kitchen and she's going back and forth with him like, there was a problem. She then proceeds to walk over to me and points the machine at my phone. I looked at her and pulled my phone away. She aggressively punched buttons on the machine, with full total and was like, are you ready? credit? If she had taken the time to ask me politely, I would have told her I needed to split it, which is what I did. I asked and she drops the machine on the bar, punched some buttons, asked for my card, she's very much annoyed, I'm annoyed, so i dropped my card on the bar...she looked at me like really??, slid the machine in my direction and walked away. I had to figure out how to do the second split. I got some help from the bartender. I didn't get my receipt from the 1st split because she walked away. I NEVER want to come back to Melba's. I didn't feel welcomed, AT ALL, the service sucked, food was subpar at best, just not a nice experience at all. And please Melba, TRAIN YOUR STAFF!! NOBODY KNEW WHAT TO DO WITH THE CREDIT CARD MACHINE, NOT ONE! I don't want that young lady fired, however, she needs to be trained on safeguarding her attitude. Stank attitude leads to no tips and I hate to do that. She gave me no choice. Girl with knit hat, GET IT TOGETHER! read more

Melba's Restaurant - MY MEAL - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

5 years ago, you could not tell me I will be writing a review like this about Melba's. This summer I went to the Melba's in 42nd street grand station and the cook was sweeping up the floor and didn't want to wear gloves to serve/ cook the food. He took someone food out with no gloves grabbing the chicken with his hands. Turned and said I washed my hands I don't have to wear gloves. Today I went to the Melba's on 114th street. I just wanted crab cakes. Disappointed. These crab cakes don't taste house made, but they are not from wegmans neither. The taste was so bad I really didn't eat it. I'm a foodie. I go to all the black restaurants taste , compare, love it. These were real bad. I also ordered a side of potato salad. I sent it back. I have been to Melba's more than 10 times. My friends have had birthday dinners there, so I know the food is great. Today was bad. I switched the potato salad with the Mac and cheese and that was bad too. The food tasted like the neighborhood, gentrified. I gave up. Paid my bill and left. The white waiter so that I was unhappy with my food and still stood there waiting for a tip. I was disgusted. Paid the bill, tipped the waiter, and left. read more

Melba's Restaurant - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

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Groovy day Yelpers! So, I recently visited Melba's and had a mixed experience. I have eaten here many times before and the food is always extraordinary. What stood out (in a not-so-great way) was the red velvet cake. It tasted more like lemon cake, which was a surprise and a bit of a letdown for anyone expecting the classic, rich flavor that red velvet is known for. That said, the rest of the experience was exemplary. The ox tails were on point as was the ginger honey salmon and the Mac n cheese. The ambiance was cool, and the overall vibe made it a nice place to hang out. If you are here to celebrate a birthday, the whole dining room is invited to join in Stevie Wonder style (as if there was any other way?! ). In any case, I'm sure this was a fluke. Either way Melba's is still a solid soul food spot if you are in Harlem. read more

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Sunday brunch with a strawberry Hennessy, chicken and waffles, deviled eggs, spring rolls, a free portion of short-rib and more. Great experience. Awesome service. Need to go back and try their desserts. And their hot sauce. read more

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We had a Friday night reservation for dinner. The venue has both indoor and outdoor seating. We sat inside to cool down from the summer heat. Inside we were promptly given ice cold water. For drinks, I ordered Frose & Pina Colada. My friend ordered a mocktail mango driven. The mocktail was nicely done. I would order another Frose from this place. It was really refreshing and tasty. For dinner, we both got the fried chicken. For sides my friend ordered mac & cheese. I opted for sweet potatoes. It was nice as we got to try alittle bit of both. I enjoyed my wings. They were fried perfectly. The sides were a nice compliment to the chicken. We were full but wanted to taste the carrot cake. We ordered the cake to go and it was nicely packaged. The cake was a nice treat when we returned to my friend's home. All in all a very good dining experience. Prices were competitive. read more

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I can't be objective, when it comes to Melb'a Restaurant; NOT‼ Yes, Melba is a personal friend I met years ago when she worked at her Aunt Silvia's Restaurant. Her gifted talent was only brewing and now; it has simmered into something incredibly delicious. Melb'a food, that's filled with so much love, TLC and joy, should be enjoyed by many. As a child, I grew up on 114th Street and Manhattan Avenue & it's so cool to see Melb'a Restaurant (on 8th Avenue / now Frederick Douglas Blvd.) as a signature presence of Community Renewal for the better of Harlem after gentrification. Melb'a scrumptious food, in every morsel you taste, eat or savor; will satisfy your palates. read more

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We had a 7 pm reservation and arrived before time. There was a line formed outside the restaurant and we inquired at the host stand whether it was for walk-ups or reservations and we didn't get a definitive answer but were advised to stand in line. Later they did ask for our party name and we did get seated before the people ahead of us in line. When our server Ole (sp) came to the table she immediately told us that the kitchen was experiencing technical difficulties and therefore it could take a while before our order came out. She was as efficient as possible however quickly telling us her favorites and recommendations before leaving us with some time to review the menu and make our selections. We ordered and got our drinks about 5-10 mins later but then it took over an hour for our entire party of five to get our food. We watched as three tables that arrived and ordered after us got their food before we all had ours. I emphasize before our entire party because four people received food -two of which weren't complete because they were missing sides and the final person had another 10 mins before their food and the remaining dishes came to the table. To her credit our server did apologize and also gave us three slices of cake on the house. All of which were good, my favorite being the coconut pineapple cake. Everyone liked their food. The spring rolls were not like anything I ever tasted and had I not wanted to enjoy the rest of my food, I would have eat more. Side note that they say there are four spring rolls but it is really two cut in half. I had the A$AP yams, catfish (great sauce), mac n cheese and collards. The collards were delicious. I could get a pot of them! If you are from the south, skip the sweet tea. It was pretty weak and I found myself immediately removing as much ice as possible to avoid it diluting more. Finally I love great black art and the restaurant is filled with it so it gives you something to enjoy besides the company. Patio area also looks great for nice weather. One of our companions said he comes here often and the food was always good and the service we experienced was an anomaly so I'd give it another go-especially for the collards. read more

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Meh. The food was just ok and the dining areas are tight and uncomfortable. I ordered the catfish, mac, and the sauteed spinach. Everything was average, but the crazy part was the frozen spinach with the water at the bottom of the bowl. A mess. And then the ceiling fans were making my food cold. It was very disappointing. read more

Melba's food, ingredients & seasoning is what u plan for visiting NYC. The restaurant is always happy, joyous in celebrating any event or when you're in town. The drinks & appetizers are always on point - refreshing & tasty plates of southern food. The entrees has outstanding combinations and you can't leave w/o ordering extras for later. We visit couple of time each trip for brunch, lunch & dinner(unch). We ordered the fried crispy wings, country catfish & waffles. Superb seasoning & the eggnog waffles melt on your tongue. U can't visit without tasting their down home veggies- Mac& cheese, low country collards, yams & mash taters. Of course, 2nd visit that week was for the oxtails, fried shrimp & jumbo lump crab cakes! I'm from DC, her seafood dishes swim up to your plate. Melba was there during brunch and she's the nicest person who reminds u of when owners were just like old friends. One of the best restaurants in the World, bar none! read more

Melba's Restaurant - Charleston Fried Shrimp - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

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I have been wanting to try Melba's Restaurant, for some time now as I've heard mixed reviews but wanted to give a try for myself and had the opportunity to with my partner. Melba's serves up comfort food classics like fried chicken and waffles, catfish, short ribs and began options as well. Here are some of the highlights: * The cheese in the mac n cheese was devoured by my partner as well had the Jamaican oxtails and ASAP Yams * The vibe hear gives Family Sunday brunch and the place is very busy so sometimes hard to get a table if you don't have a reservation. * I enjoyed their salmon, collared green and ASAP Yams, ate some there and devoured the rest at home, as it was perfection. * We enjoyed our service there as well,as our server was busy and sometimes things took longer than expected but we understood and appreciated the ambiance and attentiveness. Wouls definitely come again! read more

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Yall, I don't have a picture or NOTHING. A friend recommended this spot and OMG. The catfish nuggets!! I could barely keep my eyes open because they were so delicious. The Mac & Cheese, oxtails, southern chicken sandwich, and baby the egg rolls? My God toDAY. So lovey and smooth and comforting. Or waiter Brian was phenomenal, kind and a fantastic mixologist. Vibes were lovely, each song was the one. read more

I was very much disappointed the BBQ beef ribs were full of grease the membrane was still attached to th bone. The grease met up with my Mac n cheese. We had desert to go the chocolate cake was not homemade. The pricing for the quality of food was way too high. I went to celebrate my husbands Birthday what a disappointment. I will not be recommending this place to anyone, if you want quality don't go to Melba's. read more

Now this is my third time at Melba's. Granted I have not been here in about three years. I immediately ordered the wings because I remembered how much I loved them in the past. The waiter suggested I go with the regular wings but I insisted on going with what I know. Well honey those dry rubs were really dry and under seasoned. I sent them back and ordered regular wings which were crunch and tasted better. Now the mac and cheese was also dry but our wonderful waiter went and got me a fresh order. It looked better. I added oxtail gravy to it and that made it sing in my mouth. The collard greens were seasoned well, so no complaints there. The best thing I ate was the desserts. Those cakes were DELICIOUS!!! I think maybe Melba's should be a bakery. I'm judy saying, y'all. read more

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Everything was delicious. I made all the right choices with my menu choices. The short ribs, the catfish, the waffles, and asap yams were all some of the best soul food I've had in my life. Ambiance, vibe, customer service, and overall experience was incredible. I will definitely be back. If you love soul food, black culture, and good scenery this is the place for you. read more

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Go! I don't know why Melba's sat on my list for years before I made a reservation! Now I'm mad at myself for missing out all this time! Food was amazing! Service was friendly and lightning quick! Can't wait to go back. read more

Melba's Restaurant - Honey-Ginger Baked Salmon - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

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Im not quick to give 5 stars, but this place deserves more stars if I could give them more! We found our way into Harlem, explored the city and a few parks and said let's find a place for a late lunch and cold drinks. Upon arriving we were greeted by a super friendly host and our waiter was even nicer. It was obvious we were tourists but that didn't deter from receiving amazing service. We shared a friend chicken sandwich (amazing crispy batter and moist juicy chicken that was fresh from the fryer) and a plate of the sweet potatoes! I splurged on a sweet tea and it was better than my Maw Maw would make me a child when I visited her in New Orleans. My waiter even offered a refill to go! I'll be making my way back here to lunch again when I'm in NYC! read more

Melba's Restaurant - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

This place is perfect for any occasion. The food is made to perfection. The service was professional. The space is fitting to the theme of the neighborhood and those who come to visit. Pass by whenever you are in town. Worth every penny and delicious bite. read more

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Delicious food, fun atmosphere. Service is a little hit or miss. Came here on a Saturday evening without a reservation. Approaching the hostess counter, there were three people behind the counter but we were told to wait until ultimately another person, who I assume was the main hostess, came out to greet us. I understand different roles at a restaurant, but the three women weren't doing anything, so it felt weird that they weren't pitching in to help cover responsibilities... Anyways, the hostess said they were completely booked at the moment and took our name down for the waitlist. She said it would probably be 15 minutes, but officially the wait time was an hour (I suppose to make sure no one got mad). We left, went to buy some wine, and sure enough, 15 minutes later received a message that a table was ready. We sat in the outside dining area, which is super cute. Our waitress was friendly, although I think may have been slightly overloaded with tables. All in all, no complaints about service during the meal. Foodwise, for three people we decided to split several dishes family style: - Catfish Strips: delicious! The seasoning on the strips was to die for and it was fried to perfection. Would definitely reorder. - Fried Chicken with waffles: got the 3 wings, which were perfect to split between 3 people. The waffle was pretty tasty and fluffy, chicken well-fried. Solid choice. - Oxtails with mac and cheese and yams: The oxtails for the most part were very tender and tasty, although there were a couple that were tough so I can see how other reviews are mixed. The mac and cheese was so good! Yams would be a pass in the future to me, nothing to write home about. - Collard greens: if you want greens, they aren't a bad option. However, they're nothing extraordinary. I also tried their homemade sweet tea-- as someone who grew up in the south, it hit the spot. Overall, definitely a great spot to get some southern comfort. Definitely order the catfish strips-- as far as mains go, my hunch is you probably can't go wrong. read more

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Service is excellent! Our server is quick, efficient, and attentive. The host is adorable. The bbq short rib was delicious. The yams were perfect and the collard greens are my favorite!!! The rum punch is one of the main reasons I come to Melba's. MUST HAVE! My cousins loved their chicken sandwich and fried catfish so no complaints at all. read more

Melba's Restaurant - BBQ Braised Beef Short Rib - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

I write my reviews as a person that doesn't want anything but kind courteous, prompt service without attitude, do that, I'm giving a positive review and rating. That being said, Melba's was delicious, I loved my meal, and my kids loved their as well, and my daughter is usually a very picky 12 year old. I had the catfish with rice and pass and collard greens. My kids had chicken and baby back ribs. They raved about the Mac Cheese. I'm visiting from Los Angeles Melba's was a highlight! I recommend Melba's read more

Melba's Restaurant - Catfish peas and rice collard greens - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

I was in town and was recommended this place. I had a reservation and was late and was still accommodated. They have indoor and outdoor seating. We were seated inside. It was pretty packed. The service was slow at first but everything made up for it. Our waiter was so nice and she really knew the menu and had great recommendations. To drink we had a rum punch it was strong. We started off with the spring rolls and they were so fire ! No exaggerating everyone was ordering them. Id fly in just for these. I had the catfish which was okay. It wasnt bad but nothing to rave about. The waffle was chef's kiss. Now the greens and mac were made to perfection. I want to go back and try the seabass. The atmosphere is very inviting and loud but in a good way. Id definitely be back. read more

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We came in on a Friday afternoon after not being able to get in another restaurant. They seated us promptly, and they also were courteous. We ordered fried chicken and oxtails. My sides were yams and greens. The food came out in literally 2mins. I can appreciate that! It was fresh and hot. I didn't try the chicken, but my guy said it was just ok, and he's a chicken head! Eats chicken 10xs a week! Seriously. I had the oxtail meal, which wasn't good. It was little oxtails with tough meat. Drowned in gravy/sauce that wasn't good. I didn't like the hot sauce it was like a spicy thick tarter ketchup type of sauce. I didn't eat it. Wrapped it to go. The greens and yams weren't all that. I wouldn't go back. And I'd say try them for yourself. read more

Melba's Restaurant - Oxtail slop - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

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Now let me start off by saying I love New York it was my first time visiting and from the food to the bars everything was amazing! Melba's did not disappoint their drinks were good & the food AMAZING!!! The catfish was freaking delicious the collard greens TOOOOO GOOD & the sauce & garlic mashed potatoes was just amazing I need it again LMAO. If I could find something like this in the bay I would be there religiously. read more

Melba's Restaurant - Fried catfish - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

This was our first time visiting, and we will definitely go back in the future. We walked to Melba's before the Apollo Amateur Night. The service was amazing, and the food was amazing, too. I definitely wished I had the collard greens instead of the mashed. The atmosphere was great and cozy. I tried the sangria, and it was wonderful. read more

Melba's Restaurant - Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes Tres Mac & Cheese Country Catfish - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

Listen I've been wanting to get back to Melba's since the last time I was there several years ago. Now I've done it and it's just as tasty as I remember. The food was hot and fresh. I did delivery this time and it still was hot and fresh. Only fish and chicken this time. It was late so I passed on the sweets read more

Melba's Restaurant - Melba's delivery bag - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

10/10 loved the greens spring rolls were my personal favorite and the music definitely set the tone for my night. I had a solo date here last week and I can't wait to go back just to redo it with my girls. I felt like I was at my aunts house having some delicious soul food with a side of R&b! read more

Melba's Restaurant - Melba's Melba's Spring Rolls - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

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I went back today and they had my oxtails. I also had peas and rice with collard greens. The food is absolutely delicious.

The ambiance never fails. The Rum Punch needs some fixing. The short ribs are not the same. They could have been more tender. The catfish was good. read more

I dont typically go for soul food often these days because the weight keeps on climbing, but I am happy that I finally got to try out this harlem staple and I would not mind going back Food: 9/10: It was juicy, the waffle didnt taste like egg nog but it was still delicious. The mac was everything I needed it to be. Overall some solid food. Drinks: 8/10 superrr strong which is good no complaints there, but overall it was too overpowering and you couldnt taste much of anything else. Service 6/10: considering there was barely any people there at the time we arrived service is extremelyyyyy slow my goodness. Our waiter was a sweetheart but seems like she was by herself running around table to table Ambiance: 6/10: This is not a place you go for the aesthetic if you're looking for a birthday restaurant etc, you go there to get your belly full and keep it pushing. But you will not be disappointed! read more

Melba's Restaurant - Lunch - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

Food - chicken and waffles was really good. The eggnog in the waffles thru me off for a sec but it was really good. Chicken was okay. Next time, I would get the wings with the waffles. Oxtails were really good. Got rice and Mac n cheese as 2 sides. Mac n cheese was SUPER cheesy. Service - good, no complaints. Food came out really fast. Ambiance - was good, no complaints. Played good music in the background. Def will go back if I visit NYC again. read more

This place creates community through good food. Quality produce, good flavor combinations, affordable prices, and welcoming staff. Outstanding staff conduct. Everything on the menu is carefully planned. I'm completely loyal to Melba's Restaurant. read more

Loved Melba's! I stopped by for dinner with my uncle while visiting in town. I got the vegan mushroom pot pie and candied yams. It was both healthy and filling, and the candied yams were amazing!! read more

Melba's Restaurant - Southern Near Me - New York, New York

I was in Harlem all day and my friends, and I wanted to get some soul food. What better place to go than Melba's. Neither of us have been there, so we decided to give it a try. We arrived close to 4pm. That was the perfect time. No wait, and there were only 2 ppl inside. There were some customers eating outside, but it was much cooler indoors. The place was clean, and the music was at a tolerable level with some good R&B playing in the background. We were in the front of the restaurant near the windows, and the tables were kind of close together, but because it wasn't crowded it was not that bad. We looked at the menu and made our selections right away. Our server, Brian, was on it. He overheard us talking about what we wanted, he made recommendations, and the next thing we knew all of our food was out on the table HOT and READY. We had the catfish sandwich with fries, Charleston fried shrimp, collard greens, and Mac and cheese. Brian recommended the carrot cake and the yellow cake with chocolate icing. The catfish was hot and flavorful. The bun was fresh. The Mac and cheese was creamy and cheesy. It had a nice texture. I was skeptical of the collard greens because I have only ever eaten my mom's and grandmom's greens. Now listen y'all, the collards greens didn't taste like my mama's, but they were really good. They had a good taste, not gritty. Let's talk about the carrot cake. It was moist and warm. I could taste all the flavors. The butter cream icing was PERFECTION. You gotta get that when you go. My friend said the vanilla cake was very good as well. I finally know what all the hype was about. Melba's is the real deal!!!! read more

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Very lively atmosphere. Visited a friend who lives up in Harlem and he took me here for lunch. Definitely would go back. Tried and would recommend the catfish app, turkey meatloaf, mac & cheese, and spinach. Spinach wasn't anything special but it was prepared well and the Mac & cheese was so so good. Usually not a meatloaf fan but I really enjoyed the it with the bbq sauce they top it with. Also tried the strawberry cocktail (I think with bourbon)-- normally not a fan of dark liquor but the server recommended it, so I gave it a try. Was very refreshing. Service was a LITTLE slow/inattentive but it was also super busy, so didn't really negatively impact the experience. Plus food came out quickly for how busy it was. Would definitely go back!! My friend said he would rank the food higher than Sylvia's (another soul food place in harlem) BUT thought it was a bit overpriced. But overall he was a fan, too. read more