If you like eating where they are testing jet engines, this is for you. We have never been back. Our ears hurt so, we rushed out without ordering dessert. read more

Geez, I thought I was a lucky guy to grab a reservation for Valentine's Day with only 3 days to spare, especially after the person who took my res couldn't accomodate a 7 to 7:30PM request, and asked if I could do 6:30. What was all of that about? The restaurant never got more than half full the whole evening. Which was fine with me as we sat and chatted, and paced our evening to well over two hours without a rush to boot us out. But, it was V-day and I wasn't going to let this trivial annoyance bother me for more than a joke or two over dinner. OK, the food. The olive oil served with the bread was lacking in any type of flavor. I would almost wish that restaurants that refuse to buy the "good stuff", just serve a little focaccia without anything than to present the flavorless oil as something you may feel you need to enhance your bread experience. The Prix Fixe menu was interesting and I thought very creative. For starters I had a seafood stew, with baby octopus, shrimp, and it looked like lagustinos. The tomato broth was superb, the octopus tender, very tasty and a very good start. My friend had the salmon gravlax, it was light and wonderful. For entrees I ordered the most amazing fettuccine with a wild boar ragu which I would match against any ragus I ever had, anywhere. The pasta held the ragu so well, the lumps of wild boar were tender, full of a solid meat flavor, just fantastic. If I could make that dish I would never leave home. My Valentine ordered the Branzino, pan seared, absolutely one of the best Branzino's in the city. The moistness, the lightness, the texture, the presentation with spinach on the plate, everything. Dessert was a letdown for me. The panna cotta with berries was just average, light in texture and light in flavor. I know this is a "man-trap" day to go out to dinner, where you have to accept Prix Fixe at a lot of restaurants, but Melograno delivered to the max on the entrees. The service was attentive as the restaurant was less than full. I haven't been here in a year, and I used to go more frequently. The inside and decor lacks atmosphere, I can't put my finger on it. But as long as the chef turns out food like he has for years consistently and excellent, this is still one of my top 5 BYOB's in the city. Appetizers - 4 Entrees - 5 Desserts - 3 Decor -3 Service -4 read more

My friends & I were the annoying last table lingering on Sunday night. Despite this fact, our server was cheerful and friendly. I started out with the grilled calamari, split with a friend. I wish I had the whole thing to myself. It was a very small portion of the most tender squid I've ever had - not even remotely rubbery or chewy. It was served on a bed of eggplant marmalade and green beans - I was not a fan of this. I then had the ravioli with pumpkin and marscapone. It was delicious, but I was jealous of my friend's paperadelle with mushrooms. For dessert I had the vanilla panna cotta with fresh berries. It was quite tasty, but again I experienced food envy when I tasted my friend's tiramisu. Oh and on this particular night, we were treated to dinner AND a show! A chick in her 20's was being publicly groped by her MUCH older boyfriend (? or husband). I'm talking nursing home aged. This grandpa-lookin' dude was all over his young prize. People watching at it's finest! read more

A highlight reel: Appetizer: The special. An Italian "crepe" filled with a delicious mix of ricotta, roasted eggplant, and pesto, topped with red onion confit and (I think...) shaved parmesan cheese. Served in a searing hot ceramic crock type device. Came to the table still bubbling from the oven. Boyfriend insists that he does not like ricotta cheese. Boyfriend happily finishes the last bite when offered. Salads: Good. But not good enough to make the highlight reel. Entree.. me: The duck special with sour cherry reduction, asparagus, and some sort of pan-crisped/roasted sliced potato stack. Duck was cooked to perfection -- crisp duck fat skin, tender pinky medium rare meat -- and seasoned perfectly. Potatoes were delicately garlicked (if there can be such a thing?), edges delightfully crisped, centers tender and toothsome. Boyfriend ate several... I cleaned my plate. Entree.. him: The quail stuffed with figs and walnuts served with mashed/pureed potatoes and zucchini. Everything on his plate was excellent.. not necessarily write-home-about-it exciting or earth-shattering, but clearly expertly prepared. Most notable in my mind was the absolutely perfect ratio of quail to stuffing. I have no idea how they managed to get all of those figs and walnuts into those quails, but I tip my hat to whoever figured out that secret technique. Dessert: Chocolate cake was good. But... Ginger creme brulee -- the replacement for the pumpkin creme brulee on the menu. If I were you.. and I were planning to eat dinner at Melograno complete with dessert, I would definitely go over there the morning of and make sure that the pumpkin mysteriously goes missing. I'm not suggesting that you engage in any sort of criminal act or anything, mind you.. but if you could persuade a sympathetic cook or server to hide the pumpkin under some bags of onions, stash it behind the potatoes, pile it in a random corner and cover it with some napkins.. you get the idea. I was stuffed to the gills and only because I was in a public place and thought that they might never let me come back if I acted on the impulse did I manage to avoid bringing the ramekin to my face and licking it clean. ETA We returned to Melograno and had, all things considered, a reasonably good meal. The special appetizer "risotto cake" (actually just semi-creamy rice in a ringmold, but whatever) was ok, the salmon I had was ok... And I would be inclined to drop to 4 stars because the risotto cake had a little bit of an off taste.. . But here's the reason for the update: We sort of made a spur-of-the-moment decision to eat here as we were getting ready to take the dog for her early evening walk. We took her with us and they let us eat on outside with her by the table. Yay! Dog-friendly fine dining! read more

While the food can be very good, I have a significant issue with this place. While I am not one to site race as an issue, this place made me think twice about that stance. On the two occasions I have eaten here, our meals were poorly executed, service abrupt, and management inconsiderate. For example, the last time I ate here, I was with a group of four. We waited for about twenty minutes before the server approached us, and even then we were told to order. No hello, no mention of specials, nothing. Mind you, this was on a Thursday and the place was not too busy. We ordered our food, and then waited another 45 minutes when they served us our entrees. The biggest issue was that they never served us our appetizers. I attempted to get our servers attention , but she never came back. I instead had to approach the manager. She just glarred at me and told me she couldn't do anything about it. Needless to say, we won't be back. read more

Great local BYO with a cozy ambiance, good food, and attentive service. We came on a Tuesday night and it was packed, even at 9 pm. I highly recommend getting the pre fixe, which comes with an appetizer, entree or pasta, and dessert. Some menu highlights: 1. Roasted octopus: This was very tough and not my favorite although octopus is one of the hardest dishes to make, to be fair. 2. Beef and pork meatballs: Great and very flavorful and juicy. Portion was generous too. 3. Roasted lamb shank: This was HUGE but juicy, tender, and flavorful. It's served on a bed of polenta and spinach, which is great for absorbing the jus. Definitely a must-try. The taste of lamb was also not very noticeable so you will like it even if you are not a huge lamb fan. 4. Roasted halibut fillet: Decent but didn't really stand out. 5. Spaghetti: Solid with a robust tomato sauce. 6. Parmesan truffle fries: AMAZING! Crispy and savory. Must-try! 7. Dark chocolate lava cake with vanilla gelato: Very good and rich. 8. Granny Smith apple bread pudding with gelato: Amazing. The pudding is creamy and paired perfectly with the gelato. 9. Panna cotta: The tried-and-true classic. This is a staple and it didn't disappoint. The bread was pretty meh and it is served with plain EVOO rather than butter. The restaurant itself was very hot today and stuffy so try to go on a semi-less humid day as they tend to leave the windows open until October. Overall a great BYO with fantastic entrees and desserts! read more

A friend just asked for a BYOB suggestion in Rittenhouse, which brought me back to my delicious dinner last Friday night. Me and two of my best girls from high school were going crazy trying to find a place to eat. There wouldn't be an open table at Kanella til 10pm. Mercato was closed for a private party, as was Giorgio on Pine. I trekked by bicycle across town to Melograno, where the wait was just an hour. Anisha, Julia and I stopped into Tinto for a drink to pass the time. (I had never been inside before- so swanky!) We ended up having to wait a bit longer once we returned to Melograno, but I didn't mind too much. Our waitress, Lauren, spied our copious bottles of wine and laughed. She was funny, and definitely told it like it is (like when they were trying to close the restaurant and we were still drinking, whoops). Melograno is so much bigger than I expected, and I loved the dim lighting and the look of the open kitchen. We skipped appetizers, choosing to indulge only on the delicious bread since we were so ravenous. Liquor is quicker, friends. I ordered the Pappardelle Tartufate, which was absolutely fantastic. Fresh strips of textured pasta, meaty mushrooms, crunchy walnuts, just enough truffle taste. There's a reason why it's Melograno's signature dish. Julia ordered the squid ink risotto, which I got a good bite of. Fresh scallop nestled within rich, black rice. The squid ink was a unique flavor for sure. Anisha got the brown butter ravioli, which she unfortunately she didn't love. Lauren told us she couldn't refill our bread- they were out. Out?! She said they only had heels but I told her to bring it on. I love the heels of bread. Five minutes later we had another basket brought to the table- warm slices, fresh out of the oven. After eating and drinking and laughing and crying (there were some seriously emotional moments during this dinner, people) we looked around and noticed the restaurant was completely empty. Yes, we were the last to leave and yes, I was sporting some serious wine mouth but the food and conversation, they were just divine. read more

I had heard a lot of hype about this place and with so many other good Italian places in Philly, Im not sure why. I was satisfied with my meal and left very stuffed, but nothing really wowed me. My scallops in my appetizer were tough and the braised lamb shank I had was underseasoned. (My friend's shank was perfect though). The polenta had a jell-o like consistency. The spiced chocolate lava cake was the highlight of the meal. Their menu is pretty unoriginal and offers items you can find on many menus. Nothing was awful, nothing was great. read more

Four of us decided to meet at this BYO for dinner this past Sat. night... I had called to make reservation, only to find they DON'T take reservations on the weekend. Ok, no prob. I got there about 6:30 - put our name in, they took my cell # and we went across the street for drinks. I got a call a 1/2 hour later that our table was ready. Pretty good for a Sat. night. We were taken to our table, squeezing by the people waiting in the foyer area. the layout seems to be going for a big open feel, with an open kitchen in the back of the room but the tables are very close together. On this night it felt loud & crammed, though it was an upbeat and fun feeling atmosphere. We were served water right away by a runner and our waiter (Ray, I found out later, by asking him) came by without stopping, just spotted us and seemed to be annoyed at yet another table. Hmmm. A few minutes later, he stopped by, asked about opening our wine and mumbled and groaned about the night he was having, as he opened our 3 bottles. Then he didn't come back for our orders for another 15 minutes - at which time he finally gave us the specials. We started our meal with 2 apps.: the Antipasto and a breaded mozzarella dish with a 'lite sardine butter'. The Antipasto was pretty good, notably the crostini assortment was very unique.. the other veggies were ordinary. The mozzarella dish, however was over powered with the sardine taste, took a few bites and couldn't go with it. For entrees, I got the Spinach/Cheese Ravioli done in a brown butter sage sauce, which I must say was excellent. My dinner partners got Monk Fish (special), Seafood Combo dinner and a Pasta Carbonara. Everyone seem to truly enjoy their entrees. BTW- DO NOT rely on the menu on the website, 90% of what it shows is not on the actual menu. I hate when I read something on a web menu, make a plan to try it and it doesn't exist on the actual restaurant menu. For dessert I got a Ricotta cake, served over strawberries, a little on the dry side but pretty good. My partners got the panna cotta and creme brulee - both were done nicely. I can't say we didn't have a good time, but I was in good company, The service remained slow all night, but gave us plenty of time for laughs and conversation. The whole meal came to about $160+ (not including tip) for the 4 of us. If they kicked things up a notch creatively in the kitchen, stepped up the service and spread out the tables a bit more, they'd really have something here. read more

I was expecting a great meal as Philadelphia has a solid Italian restaurant base. Melograno doesn't live up to its peers as they offer bland flavoring, low quality olive oil and generally a poorly flavored meal. In reading the other yelp reviews, it appears there was a change in mid 2015 that precipitated a slow decline and eventual death. This is a side note, but you can tell the care they put into their food based upon the care they put into trying to read the menu online: http://www.melogranorestaurant.com/menu-2 I would suggest a chain restaurant over this location. BYOB and service were the only saving grace, but no, not really. Go spend your money around the corner. read more

Melograno is pretty darn good. Fritturina di Alborelle - hey, little smelt fish all fried up and served with a lemon mayo. I liked it. Eating small sea-life whole is just the thing you need if you want to feel like a Titan, ravenously consuming mortal bodies to feed your endless hunger. Mozzarella in Carrozza - I liked this too. To be really fair, it is fried cheese and is basically impossible to screw up. Antipasto Rustico - Pretty good but did not blow me away. Pappardelle Tartufate - Very tasty. Fish special- They offered a fried fish special of some sort. I'll level with you dear reader, I don't remember what it was. I had been enjoying a great deal of wine and I do remember the fish had a strange name...Ovo...Ova? Nah, It couldn't have been ova because that is ridiculous. I suppose I could google the answer or call them up but that would take precious seconds away from my extraordinarily busy day. I guess what I'm trying to say is - If they offer a fish special with a funny name, then get it because it is good. On the action-movie-parallel-satisfaction-scale, this establishment is Blade. read more

Went for our anniversary on a Thursday night. Plenty of space and the waiter was friendly and attentive. Welcoming environment with cute fall decor. Mussels and octopus were great starters. Lamb was awesome and fell right off the bone. You could tell the pappardelle tartufate was fresh homemade pasta. The walnuts were a little overpowering and masked the taste and texture of the mushrooms. Overall great dining experience. Will definitely be back. Don't forget to bring your own bottle! read more

Good place, nice food. Have everyday's special introduced by the waiter. Need to reserve.

I am a little biased because I was a frequent visitor when they were on 22nd and Spruce. As the other reviews allude to, it thrived as a perfect combination of cozy ambience and quality food before Meme bumped them out. The new spot is admittedly a little less personable, being multiple rooms with higher ceilings. I also have to say that they seem a little too rushed now-- dinner comes out within 5 minutes of ordering, and as soon as your last bite is in your mouth, you begin to get looks pushing you to the door. But I'm a loyal guy and the food continues to be glorious, so I'm still giving it a 4. Food to get: Mushroom pasta (Pappardelle Tartufate) or the Porterhouse Steak (Bistecca Alla Fiorentina)...I can say with researched confidence that both plates are among the best in their respective 'dinner genres' in the city-- that's something for 2 plates from a small BYO so far apart on the food spectrum. Staff: Now that it's a little bigger, they have added to their wait staff which takes away from the familiar/familial feel. Last time I was there, my waitress was a bit spacey (but that just added to the meal). More to the point, the owner chef and his wife hostess (and sometimes chef?) continue to be visible, along with their inviting smiles. Check it out...you won't be sorry. Just don't go expecting a long, relaxing meal. read more

We recently went for restaurant week and though the food was good and the waitress was very pleasant, the manager visited our table several times to eventually grab our paid receipts off the table while we were still finishing dessert and our wine, considering it's a BYOB. They rushed the entire meal to push us out as we had only been less than an hour and maybe 15 minutes before he started to make comments that were clear he wanted us out. After only a few more minutes of conversation, just as we finished our glasses of wine, he returned to very rudely tell us that he had people waiting and we needed to leave. He could have easily expressed his needs in a more professional manner but chose to quip them at us in a fit. After putting on our coats and leaving, this manager then followed us outside and down the street to ask if "we were good?" After we expressed that we were upset he rushed us out, he dismissed us, got angry and starting yelling nonsense as he turned around and returned to the store; we are not really sure what he was trying to accomplish by following us just to eventually berate us?? Super unprofessional as the representative of the restaurant if you want people to enjoy a leisurely meal at your establishment. read more

Is it me, or are really good BYOBs becoming scarce? As I consult my list of really kick-ass BYOBs in the city (that once prided itself on such BYOBS), there have been few that have stood the test of time and maintained impeccable service and food (thank god for HELM, but I digress). Melograno is like any other run of the mill Italian BYOB. Not amazing, not bad. It's better than some, but nowhere near Monsu, Modo Mio or heck maybe Ulivo? I've said it time and time again, if you do Italian in this city, you better knock it out of the park, because there's competition a plenty. The new location (and yes, I know it's not new, new - but the newer location) is lovely, airy and ample, but like any good BYOB, I like a smaller, cozier space. I love this stretch of Samson though, so it's better than the old space. The service is good, generic. The menu is straight forward, without any surprise offerings. The food is not terribly memorable or inventive. read more

I've only been here once, but had a great meal. I tried the escargot soup (very good), the homemade parpardelle with wild boar ragu (fantastic) and black cod with white truffle sauce (decadent and cooked perfectly). Desserts were ok and a latte was delicious. Our waitress had very little to offer in excitement or a smile, but go the job done. I usually don't care about this and think 85% of dining is about the food, but she seemed so matter of fact I feel compelled to mention it. read more

I thought this place was quaint and the atmosphere was nice. The only downside was that it was quite loud. However by around 9pm, the crowd starts to thin out, so it was fine. We were able to get a reservation (same-day), which was great - and for a larger group of 5. My experience overall was A-OK at Melograno. I did have a wonderful salad of the day that consisted of grilled/sliced artichokes and arugula. My main dish was a pappardelle pasta (tomato based) with shrimp (literally three pieces) and scallops. It was simply ok. I had the warm spiced chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream that was good, but not out of this world. read more

Years later, still so much sass! From the second you walk in and ask for a table, she is just angry at you! We even tried calling beforehand and they refuse time and time again to give you anything but a confusing and vague answer. Several times before, my party will just go elsewhere but we decided to put up with the 45 min wait at 9pm. The food was subpar, both pappardelle dishes & scallops w/ polenta were all flavorless but the mussels were good (although the broth was overly salty). The ciabatta was good but I don't think the olive oil was extra virgin. The server was amazing though. Also, Danny Devito was there with his wife, Rhea Pearlman! Too bad I'll never come back. read more

I've been to many restaurants and eaten at some of the best, but I must say that Eriud the general manager is probably the hardest working and nicest general managers around. He personally came around and made sure everything was perfect and if it wasn't he made sure it was -I highly recommend the restaurant and certainly my I hats off to Eriud! read more

Another fabulous neighborhood BYOB- why doesn't DC have this?! Great atmosphere, reliable food, and walkable to rittenhouse, Melograno is comfortable italian food without too much fuss. downside of being a cute neigborhood BYO near rittenhouse? having to wait for a table...be sure to call ahead as this cozy restaurant fills up fast! read more

We came here on a Friday during early evening. I got there first, so I walked in and stood behind a couple who had just arrived and were in the middle of being seated. I waited patiently while the hostess sat the couple. In the meantime, another couple came in behind me. Immediately, someone came up and asked if he could help seat them. Then, the hostess came back and asked them if she could help them. At that point, I was starting to get peeved. The hostess saw me walk in, saw me waited, and totally ignored me. Absolutely an abysmal way to treat guests. I interjected and asked for a table. Her immediate response was whether I was expecting the entire party soon - I lied and said yes so she would seat me. I lied because there was no reason she shouldn't seat me given that there were many tables open and no one else in queue, and also because I was already annoyed with her customer service. Just one last mention of service quality here - we were interrupted several times by the waiter in mid-conversation. My experiences at other restaurants have been that waiters/waitresses arrive at the table, wait a second or two for the table to turn its attention to him/her, and then begin. Here, the guy arrived and just started talking. So, to the food. We split the Polpette - for ten bucks we got two meatballs made with pork, veal, and beef topped wtih tomato sauce and pecorino cheese. A bit pricey at $5 per meatball, but...actually, no buts. We also shared a plate of fried fish. I can't remember the name of the dish, but it wasn't that memorable anyway. For my main dish, I had the Cotoletta alla Senese - a fried chicken breast topped with several slices of prosciutto, arugula, tomatoes, and mozzarella. The chicken was good, but then again, it's hard to mess up fried chicken. However, it wasn't anything to write home about either. Finally, for dessert, we had the Panna Cotta topped with berries. The panna cotta is about 2.5 inches in diameter, but came out on a 12 inch diameter plate. That was a bit absurd. All it did was drew my attention to how little food we got. At least it tasted good! So, bad service, OK food. You decide. read more

Melograno - Panna cotta - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See all

This is a BYOB that doesn't really feel like a BYOB, which may be a good or bad thing. The place is huge, for one thing, and pretty loud, not intimate at all. They take reservations on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, but (judging from the other reviews) you may have a lengthy wait on the days you have time to go. I tried Melograno on a Tuesday night for boyfriend's birthday. The place was pretty packed for a Tuesday, and quite bustling. The waitstaff was very friendly, and when we told her it was our first time she took time to mention some of her favorite dishes. I ended up getting portobello mushrooms stuffed with goat cheese (delicious) and the tartufate--wild mushroom pasta (which included a parpadelle type noodle, long and flat). Both dishes were straightforward and delicious--not pretentious Italian food at all. I'm taking one star off because my boyfriend thought the portions were small. He had the lamb chops--two smallish pieces of roasted lamb with rosemary and a bunch of other spices. I will go back, but it's not on the top of my restaurants-to-return-to list. read more

Melograno is hands down my favorite restaurant in Philadelphia. I have never had a meal there I didn't enjoy. The core staff has not changed in as long as I have been going, which means well trained, skilled, knowledgeable service. The new location is spacious and attractive. When last there, I started my meal with an Artichoke Heart appetizer, which was a special, which had a delicate flavor, and was plated beautifully. Next I had the Melograno Salad, which has a pomegranate balsamic dressing, and is simple and light with four endive leaves to give it a kick. Finally, I had the Steak, which was served at a perfect medium rare, and came with Cannellini Beans and a green, which I no longer remember, but was tasty. Although, as is true almost everywhere I go, I tend to order the same things again and again, there are many quality items on the menu, and the specials are always interesting. There isn't much for vegetarians, but what there is has wonderful seasoning and interesting ingredients. They are listed as a place that does not take reservations, but this is not strictly true. They accept reservations Tuesday through Thursday, if you want to try it, but don't have the time or patience to either show up right at 5:30 when they open, or wait for a table. The outdoor seating is sparse, and I find the sidewalk of Sansom to narrow to make it a realistic place to eat, but the inside is a lovely place for a meal. read more

Popped in here on a Thursday night after showing up for reservations at Porcini, which is right down the street. Porcini was dark and shuttered - and apparently did not see fit to call their reservation list. I imagine this is owed to the snow more than anything, but Melograno was able to seat our table of 5 immediately, as there were a few open tables in this normally jam-packed BYO. I've been here a few times and the place averages three stars. The food is consistently good, but I find the menu a tad expensive compared to other places I've been with somewhat better food. The atmosphere is good for groups and for a date night (I've been here on both), so the place is versatile. But I've always found the hosts to be a bit abrasive - a simple smile for five snow-covered, cold women coming in off the street would have been nice! Last night we started with a special appetizer, a gorgonzola-filled crepe with pears that was quite lovely and I had the Pappardelle Al Ragu di Cinghiale (braised wild boar bolognese made with fresh tomatoes and rosemary, finished with parmigiano), for which the sauce could have been a bit more substantial. I generally stick with the pasta when here, though I had a memorable and delightful experience with the Quail one night. All in all, a solid BYO that I hit up when in the area. read more

Much better experience. Went with some friends and we brought a bunch of wine, can't go wrong there. Ordered the pumpkin ravioli which is on the smaller side for a dish, but was fantastic. Also had some of their bread which is really good. Everyone else was very happy with their dish as well. The service we had was wonderful, our waiter was funny, not overbearing, but when he did stop by, he always left us laughing. The noise wasn't so much a problem this time. read more

We lucked out at 7:00 on a Friday night - no wait for a table for 3. Last time we tried was on a Saturday night at 8:00, when there was a 2 1/2 hour wait!?!?! Don't forget, they actually do take reservations during the week! In my book, Melograno has not missed a step in moving to its new, bigger location on Sansom. Great casual atmosphere & each dish seemed to be better than the one before. I highly recommend everything we tried - the artichoke & scallop appetizer left us wondering how anyone could make an artichoke taste so good... the portabella with goat cheese and toasted pine nuts... home made papardelle with anything (mushroom/truffle oil was my favorite)... the foccacia.. the lava cake... the cappucino. And for the quality of food and experience, the food is very reasonably priced. Definite contender for favorite BYO in the city! read more

I like to think I have an objective perspective, combined with a relatively realistic expectation of the culinary craft. From time to time I feel compelled to volunteer a scrutinizing eye in the spirit of either serving, or saving the public from similar experiences. Today I am hoping to save. Fellow Philadelphian Yelpers, save your time, money, and patience for a more deserving dining establishment than Melograno. I tend to weight food, atmosphere and service, in that order. The menu at Melograno is ordinary at best. The flavors and ingredient combinations read as tired and unoriginal, and I'm quite certain the Italian Sea Bass and Pan Seared Tuna that myself and my date ordered, were 75% prepared before our order ever made it to the kitchen ( I know how long these dishes take to prepare). The atmosphere was fine, but nothing to write home about. I will commend the exposed kitchen - I enjoy the transparency and honesty of an open kitchen layout. No one expects any BYO to compete aesthetically with their higher priced and liquor licensed counterparts, but even a little effort would go a long way. Melograno's ambiance is in-theme with their menu, ordinary at best. It was primetime on a busy Saturday night at a restaurant that does not take reservations, yet we were surprisingly seated within 20 minutes - the hostess was kind enough to call my cell while we waited with a glass of wine at Tinto. The wait service, however, was abysmal. My date and I were coming off a late lunch, and we planned on going out for drinks after, so we hoped to keep the meal somewhat light. The waitress actually sneered at me when I ordered. It took exactly three minutes for our entrees to be shoveled in front of us, from which time fourth we were indignantly ignored. I actually cleared our plates after at least 10 minutes of shifting and jockeying for elbowroom - I had to set them on the empty table next to us. Yelpers, I have a hard time celebrating mediocrity. For those of you who found Melograno to be a satisfying experience, I envy your optimism. Nevertheless, I encourage you to branch out. For those of you considering patronage, please consider my vote - Melograno is the lowest common denominator for BYO fine-dining in Philadelphia. We can all do much better. read more

My husband and I were very disappointed with the way we were treated after being loyal customers who frequented this restaurant most Saturdays and brought many of our good friends there on countless occasions. The food is excellent. I will say that. If you don't mind paying a bit extra than Porcini or Giorgio on Pine and don't mind being treated like GARBAGE. So much for taking care of your loyal customers. We were practically thrown out of there for questioning whether the special was an appetizer that we mistakenly ordered because the portion was so small( I'm talking a quarter of a plate of pasta for $27) We were pretty much thrown out by the other owner ( sister's it appears). What a sad way to run a business. We've raved about you and your food and now we have to find a new Saturday night go-to because of your failure to see that the customer is always right. If your ego is that important you shouldn't be in this business. It's not personal. If you're in the restaurant business those are rules number 1 and 2. You lost a very loyal group of people who all live right next door in Rittenhouse. If that wasn't enough, the icing on the cake is when we inquired about doing a dinner party there for 20 people before we even sat down for dinner and the hostess/ owner? who knew us fairly well told us we could do it at one of 2 times, but couldn't guarantee anything and gave us the runaround. Sorry for giving you more business! If you cared at all about your customers you'd make sure to get this done like all of your competitors who graciously took our reservation. I know of a great food consultant as well, if you are interested in taking a deeper look at yourselves and why numerous reviewers have a problem with the way they were treated at your establishment. Giorgio on Pine has twice the size of your entrees at a fraction of the price. read more

Apparently there is a trend in Philadelphia of corner Italian restaurants, complete with awesome food, cramped tables, and a BYOB/W policy. Melograno perfectly fits the bill for all three. I was almost denied my taste of this culinary delight, for when we showed up at the restaurant at 7:30, the hostess told us that there were no more tables available for the evening. After explaining to her that we were from out of town, she managed to fit us in for the final sitting. I loved everything about my meal. That same hostess, Rose, went out of her way to make all the guests in the restaurants feel welcome at their home away from home. She did the same for us as well. The service was prompt, attentive, friendly, and professional. And the food...amazing. I tried the mushroom pasta, which was punctuated with a real tuscan earthy flavor. My own dish was a meaty monkfish in a red wine reduction sauce, complemented perfectly with chopped mushrooms and mashed potatoes. Dessert was a ricotta cake with berries, something resembling the texture of a souffle. And the prices! In NYC, all of this would be at least 5 dollars more...per entree! All in all, a fantastic and memorable meal. read more

The Menu at Melagrano has expanded with more meat varieties, more fish dishes. The mussels are as fantastic as ever; Every table around us was staring as they brought out our appetizer. What a gem! Check out Melagrano if you get the chance and dont forget your own bottle of wine. read more

Took my mom there for her birthday. We made the reservation through the Amex concierge, and told them so, but we didn't mention anything when we got there, nor was anything special done. It's BYOB, which we didn't know until we got there. This place is *loud*. My wife (an architect) noted that they could easily put in sound absorbing materials to help with this. I have mixed feelings about the food. The chef doesn't seem to have a good sense of what goes together. My mom was disappointed with her salmon special, which was basically salmon doused with salsa. However, I had the pork chop, which may very well be the most perfectly grilled pork chop I've ever tasted. Ever. read more

Melograno has hands down the best pasta in Philly! They used to be located a few steps from our house at Spruce and 22nd St., we would have dinner outside often with the kids, but they outgrew the space a few years ago because they became so popular and moved to Sansom and 20th. We have been for dinner so many times, with and without the kids. I often order the papardelli tartufatte, homemade wide noodle pasta with mushroom Ragu. It is just dreamy!!!! Last night we were there for my friends birthday party, 15 guests. they seated us in a nice cozy spot by the window. Service was excellent, we were constantly changing seats to talk to one another and the staff was not annoyed one bit! LOL I tried the flounder last night and the lamb, both were excellent! I had the endive and arugula salad, then the papardelli tartufatte of course, and the Sambuca semi Fredo for dessert. Highly recommend this awesome place! Great for romantic dinners, groups of friends, and family too! Bonus they are BYOB! read more

Melograno - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I'm still looking for a restaurant in Philly that beats Melograno. With the prices, it's a place reserved for special occasions, but the meals are always worth it. I always end up ordering the walnut mushroom pasta, generally as an appetizer, just because it's so hard to pass up. Their fish is amazing - I love the perfectly tender cod. It's noisy, but cozy. Good for 2-4 people - more than that and you won't be able to hear everyone at the table. read more

Amazing food. Everything we ordered was fantastic. Service was great too. Food took a bit of time although it was a busy Saturday night so no big deal. Atmosphere was lively in the packed restaurant. Only gripe would be no option to purchase drinks. And being pregnant I didn't bring wine so would've liked to have a soda/juice or something with my dinner. Great place! read more

About two months before our wedding we started to search for a rehearsal dinner restaurant. On a budget, and prioritizing excellent food for our immediate families and bridal party, we were thrilled when Ann (sp?) gave us a call back from Melograno. Ann made everything super simple -- no corkage fees at this stellar BYO, 3 course prix fixe menu (where each guest selected their own appetizer, entree, and dessert), and no hidden fees. There are no private or semi-private spaces, but since we held our rehearsal on a Thursday around 8 pm we had a whole corner of the restaurant to ourselves. Ann hooked our group of 20 up with two round 6-tops and a long rectangular 8-top, all next to each other. Service was superb, food was impressive as always (love Melograno's signature Pappardelle Tartufate), and we never felt rushed. Many, many thanks to Ann and her team at Melograno. Highly recommended for medium/ large sized groups. read more

Delicious Byo. The rustico platter was great to share. Nice spread of cheeses, meats, veggies, and etc. Cozze mussels were scrumptious in a nice broth but a bunch of mussels were not opened up. Great golden beet salad. Nice and light. Golden beets were very thinly sliced. Pappardelle Tartufate with wild mushrooms and walnut in a light truffle oil was amazing. Best pasta. We had another pasta in a red sauce that was also very good. Pasta is definitely fresh! We also had a lamb entree with polenta that was tender and flavorful. Great food here. Service is nice. The place gets VERY noises on a busy night though. read more

Two hungry carnivores set out across the "urban Jungle" in search of prey. Armed only with their wits, a credit card, and two bottles of wine, they maneuvered past familiar watering holes in search of the big kill. Setting their eyes on a lone empty table outside of Melograno, they pounced on the opportunity to eat at this fine BYOB. Driven by hunger and instinct, they skipped past the salad and went straight for the meat. They shared the first victim, Pappardelle Al Ragu di Cinghiale. Braised wild boar bolognese made with fresh tomatoes & rosemary finished with Parmigiano Devoured mercilessly, their was no evidence of the carnage. They next split up and took down their own meals. Roars of delight could be heard as the male devoured his perfectly cooked Sella di Coniglio Ripiena. Organic rabbit saddle stuffed with prosciutto & spinach finished in a delicate cream & white wine pan sauce served over potato puree. The civilized diner would tell you about the great the service and so forth, but for our hunters, it was all about the meal. Returning to the den, they were both pleased and in need of a little sleep. read more

Well, thank god for good company! Let me start off by saying, I lived in Center City for 8 years, and there's a reason I never heard of this restaurant... Melograno was selected for a girls night out on the town. Arriving to the restaurant on time, we were seated about 15 minutes after our reservation, which is pretty much expected for a Saturday night in the city. In fact, you could probably debate that you were seated "on time," which is not unreasonable. Once we were seated, the three of us ordered appetizers, entrees, and dessert. (Just painting the picture that we were not skimpy customers.) What I did find unreasonable was the food. For dinner two out of three of us ordered the Shrimp & Fennel Risotto. Well, I've created a new saying after this dining experience, "Two out of three were bad." If you choose to order this dish, just know you are LITERALLY served ONE shrimp on top of a pile of risotto. I actually thought they forgot to add the shrimp in my dish, but quickly realized that accident would not have occurred on two plates. I am notorious for not finishing a meal, after having three courses at this restaurant, I left looking for the closest slice of pizza. We ended up settling for Wendy's... In addition to the small portioned, mediocre food, the icing on the cake for the evening was the customer service. Our waiter was fine; however, the manager, Erin, should really consider an etiquette class. Not only did he uncomfortably invade our personal space by hovering our table like an overprotective parent, he had the audacity to DOUBLE TAP the table accompanied with, "thank you ladies, it was a pleasure" as we were being pushed out the door. We spent a total of 90 minutes at the restaurant, being seated 15 minutes late, so really 75 minutes. Needless to say, I won't be back. The city is saturated with BYOB restaurants, don't waste your time or money at Melograno. Wishing you all a better experience elsewhere! read more

This isn't my favorite Italian place in the area (that's another place in Haddonfield, NJ check out my review), but it was definitely worth the night out here. I would come again. Everything we had here was very good. But the only thing that stood out was the panna cotta dessert. We had mussels and calamari for an appetizer. Both were very good. Then the mushroom pasta, which was also very good. This is a dish I get whenever I see it on the menu. This wasn't the best of this dish I've had, but it was very good. I'd order it again. The filet was cooked perfect to order and the sauce was absolutely delicious. The salmon was cooked simple with herbs, but was also very good. The panna cotta was divine. The vanilla flavor was incredible. Unfortunately this simple, understated dessert stole the show. Most importantly, service was spot on. Everyone was pleasant. Writing this review was difficult. Everything was very good, but nothing really stood out as extraordinary. My husband's in a wheelchair, so when it comes to finding a decent non-chain restaurant (especially in the city) that is wheelchair accessible, it is VERY difficult. Which is very frustrating to these two self-proclaimed foodies. So even though it wasn't extraordinary, it was still very good, and we'd certainly go back. BYOB! read more