My son and I were in town to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame. We were recommended this place by the B&B where we stayed. We had the Butter Chicken with Curry and the Beet Risotto, these two entrees were extraordinary. We highly recommend Mel's. Make a reservation if you go, it was off season on a Tuesday and the place was packed! read more

Still awesome. Love the burgers especially. Service is friendly. Most reliable spot in town, IMO.

I thought the crab cake appetizer needed some work(maybe some lemon sprinkled on top), but overall was a 5 star experience for our fam. I had the burrata caprese special and it was like eating at a fancy dancy restaurant. The Waitress brought out extra bread for it and the flavors were amazing. My husband had the chicken Parmesan and my daughter had the adult size Mac and cheese. All of them were delicious. read more

Mel's at 22 - Buratta caprese - Bars Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

We have been to Mels many many times! I always say the clam chowder is a don't miss!!! Probably the best I have ever had. Tonight we went for Taco Tuesday! I have family in from North Carolina and we enjoyed the whole meal. The reason for my review is our waitress Maria is probably one for the best waitresses we have ever had. Attentive, personable, on top of all the needs at the table! She made our great meal that much better! Thanks Maria!! read more

What an amazing meal. We sat outside and got the best service you could imagine. The food was delicious. Definitely a repeat.

I wanted to like this place cause it was really cute. However, their food was exceedingly bland. We had Mac and cheese where the cheese sauce was thin and unsalted and they served what they called "samosas" which were unseasoned mashed vegetables stuffed in fried wonton wrappers and served with chili-flacked duck sauce. It was a poor culinary showing all around. I will say that the service was friendly and prompt and the atmosphere was calming and pretty. read more

Mel's at 22 seems to be the classiest, busiest, and most happening place in town. There is a nice bar area with high tops where you can eat dinner. There was a singer/piano player player churning out some classic tunes, some even with customer participation as far as the dining room. Who doesn't love a good "Sweet Caroline"? We were there mid-April, in the off season so we waited about seven minutes for a table without a reservation. Our server was not particularly friendly but he got the job done. He told us the specials, answered our questions, took our orders, done. Items we ordered included some Pesto Fries to share. I tried a few and was not impressed. I thought the Pesto just made the fries soggy. 12 year old ordered a kids Max & Cheese and 13 Year old ordered a Four Cheese Mac & Cheese. Both were the same except the adult Mac & Cheese had a Baked Bread Crumb topping. You could telll they were homemade but both boys complained there was no creamy cheese. Husband and I fared much better with our meals. He ordered a special, the Cowboy Steak, and found it to be excellent. I ordered the Scallops and Lobster Risotto. The four Scallops were huge, perfectly prepared, and delicious. The Lobster Risotto did not have much Lobster but it was nice and creamy and tasted really good as well. My only complaint would be that the dish, although very filling, could have used a vegetable as an accompaniment. The main dishes were served with small salads. All were very fresh and made with homemade dressings. By the time we were leaving at about 9:30pm, the place was slowing down quite a bit. Mel's at 22 was not perfect but Husband and I really enjoyed our meals. There are not too many nice dining establishments in Cooperstown so if you are looking for something more than burgers, pizza, or Italian, I would definitely check this place out. read more

The food was better than the three star I gave but the service was worse than the three star. Waitress was rude and acted like we were annoying her for being there. The food was really good, just not the service. read more

We came in for lunch at 12:45 and had reservations at 1:30 for Baseball Hall of fame. This place was hopping but our waiter took our order quickly and didn't have any problems with helping us make our time. Food was delicious and atmosphere was fun! Thank you!! read more

One of best restaurants in town for variety of excellent food!!! A bit noisy and didn't like the music ! But again, food was excellent!! read more

Excellent chowder and salad. Service is good. Looks to be a local favorite. Burgers look good.

We were very hungry and it took forever to get our food. The food was delicious and it was in big portions. Also, the waitress was really nice and the tater tots and fries were good. read more

A HUGE thank you to Mel's and MacKenzie for catering our wedding. The food was absolutely incredible! We received so many compliments from our guests, and for the past month my husband and I have reminisced about how good the food was. Not only was everything phenomenal, but MacKenzie and the staff helped us throughout the night with cleanup and various extra tasks. MacKenzie even came the day before to give my husband and I recommendations and help with setup of the reception space. We truly can't thank Mel's enough for catering our wedding, we are so grateful to them for everything. They were affordable, easy, and delicious. They were also very accommodating of our dietary restrictions and helpful in choosing the right food. Mel's did such a fantastic job, you really can't ask for more! read more

Before a doctors appointment at Bassett Medical Center we decided to give Mel's at 22 a try for a late lunch. We were seated in the main dining area and greeted by our server C. After taking our drink orders (water with lemon) and sharing the specials we were prepared to order due to our short time window. My fiance chose a cup of the New England Clam Chowder, Cobb Salad and a cup of Coffee. I chose the Fried Haddock Sandwich, no bun and side salad. C. asked if I wanted to start with my side salad while Dawn had her soup, which I agreed and appreciated. Dawn thoroughly enjoyed her Clam Chowder, she's a stickler for hot food, especially soup, and she was very pleased. My side salad was served on a curiously small flat plate, causing the salad to fall off said plate when I attempted to cut and eat it. I'm not sure if this is normally how Mel's serves the side side but I would prefer a bowl or larger plate. Dawn found the chicken in her Cobb Salad to be on the dry side which was unfortunate. My Haddock was a nice sized piece, crisp on the outside and flaky fish, the tartar sauce lacked favor. C was very personable but I don't know if he was having an off day, although there were only one or two other tables, we never received a water refill, Dawn didn't receive her coffee and when she asked if she could have a to go cup and requested it with cream the cream was forgotten as well. It's attention to detail that is important and the little things stand out. Overall we were not impressed with Mel's at 22 and would most likely not be back. read more

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Picked out this place based on Yelp reviews. Went on a Friday night party of 4. I was traveling into town for a concert at ommegang and figured there would be a ton of people milling about in this small town looking for food like we would be so I made reservations a few days in advance. We were promptly seated and were delighted to have tomeka as our server. She was highly attentive even though she was quite busy! Drinks- I ordered the king Fischer. It was very tasty. Kinda like a lemon drop martini! Very refreshing on a nice warm night. Appetizer- chorizo stuffed mushrooms. Very flavorful. You have slight heat from the chorizo and the earthiness of the mushrooms. Salad- normal house salad. I noticed that mine didn't have onions while my counterparts had an onion and an olive. No biggie. I did like the house balsamic. Entree- shrimp scampi. This was shrimp/artichoke hearts in a light wine sauce. I love how light this dish was. Artichokes tasted fresh. All entrees comes with bread and a house salad. I thoroughly enjoyed our meal. The flavors were all on point and delicious. Even though the restaurant was hopping the kitchen didn't miss a beat. My friends ordered the scallops, duck, lobster Mac n cheese and the rib eye. I tasted everyone's dish of course! And I could say that all of them were very delicious. We all left stuffed and happy and ready to enjoy our musical night at ommegang! I would definitely come back again when I visit the area!! read more

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Recommended by someone who has lived and worked in the area. Came in for a late lunch on a holiday weekend. This is my first time in a restaurant since Covid so not sure if this is [dare I say] the new normal. Seemed like the staff was running at bare-bones even though the dining was not fully utilized. This effected service which is what kept them from getting all five stars. Portions great, wonderful choices, a gem of a place in a small town. Did I mention they have local beers on tap? read more

Food was good, service was ok. Vodka maritini had a bunch of ice chips inside (not sure why?) but the olives inside were good. Our table got caprese salad (we loved it), crab cakes, half moon mozzarella sticks (marinara sauce felt like it was out of a jar), as well as the California burger, south burger, and a special off the menu. Burgers were very good and so were the fries! Overall we enjoyed it and would come back! read more

Mel's at 22 - South burger with the egg- very good! - Bars Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

Went on a Thursday night. We got lucky and were able to be seated without a reservation. Food was delicious. Service was excellent.

Honestly, this is going to be a short review because this place is plain awesome! Service was outstanding. All ten of us loved our dishes, everything from Salmon, to steak, to chicken parm. Portions were large and enough to take home for most of us. This is a must visit location when in Cooperstown! read more

Mel's Is a must if you go to Cooperstown. We were a group of 12 with Lori? as our waitress. She was super considering we wanted separate checks. She did an excellent job remembering all of us and what we wanted. There also was someone there always refilling your water and removing finished plates The food was excellent. Everybody in our group raved about their meals from hamburgers to seafood. My husband had Mac and cheese and it was the best he ever had. Mine was scallops and shrimp to die for. Brian the owner came out to see how everything was. You won't be disappointed if you go. Plus you can make reservations. Thanks to Mel's for an excellent experience! read more

I went to Mel's for some outdoor dinning and was very impressed. My drink was absolutely amazing for the summer time. The outdoor seating was great, the staff was super friendly, and the food is fabulous. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this restaurant. I highly recommend to try it out. read more

Mel's at 22 - Mel cosmopolitan drink - Bars Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

Our family really enjoyed Mel's at 22. The service was very good and I waitress was very friendly. I had salmon with brown butter raviolis. It was delicious. My husband had the steak dinner which was also delicious. Make sure you make reservations early whether it to be lunch or dinner seating is small. read more

Disappointing. Unimaginative salad - just a plate of mixed greens from a bag and dressing in little paper cups. Felt like I was in a hospital cafeteria - not horrible, but not something I want to eat on a night out. read more

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Literally one of the worst meals I have eaten. Ordered the baked haddock. It was so lemony tbat I could not taste the fish. The mashed potatoes have zero flavor and are so lumpy, no t sure what they are supposed to be. Bar needs to watch fruit in cocktails, served me moldy strawberry in my drink. Wait staff super nice and helpful read more

Cute place in town for some good food. Very up to date place where everything else is pretty old and out dated. Friendly staff. I had the chicken caprese with tater tots and it was very good. read more

Mel's at 22 - Bars Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

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Over the many years that I have been going to this great restaurant...Mel's continues to be wonderful! Friendly staff, beautiful atmosphere and amazing food! Never disappoints! read more

Great food, best steak I've had in a while. Perogies were really good. Tater tots to die for. Bread was so fresh. Staff was very timely and courteous. The prices were expensive but you got what you paid for. Would highly recommend for a date night or special occasion. You will not be disappointed. read more

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Stopped at Mel's on a Tuesday night in November here are my thoughts: Pros: The place was VERY well staffed, which is something I feel goes unnoticed at a lot of establishments. Everyone seemed to be working hard. No one was standing around doing nothing. Our sever Tomeka was attentive, fast , efficient, nice. Everything you're looking for in a server. Great job. The drinks and vibe were good. Food was GOOD, not excellent. Good enough to not take away from the rating. Cons: really the only glaring thing to me was the fact that the in and out doors that the employees use to get to the kitchen are located very close to the dining area and they slam rather loudly when an employee walks in and out of them. I would recommend some type of foam or door mechanism to make the doors not slam so loudly. I mention this as a suggestion but it's wasn't enough for me to take away from this rating. Overall the place does a good job. I would recommend it to friends and family. read more

If I could give them a 0 I would. We had a reservation secured by our hotel and confirmed on the phone- they argued with us and told us there was no reservation and proceeded to seat other people while they made us call our hotel and check to see if a reservation was made-basically calling us liars. The host is an incompetent ahole and the waitress was equally lame. Don't bother- there are other places in Cooperstown with better food and service. read more

Went here for my two months with my girlfriend and this place was awesome! Although this town seems like it's in nowhere, it was worth the 30 minute drive from Oneonta. We entered through the bar area and was greeted by the bartender and was seated at a nice table towards the center of the room. We were offered our menus and we went for the Seared Ahi Tuna as an appetizer. This dish was absolutely gorgeous. The tartare had such a unique and delicious flavor that paired well with the chips alongside the plate. As for the tuna itself this was our first time trying it out and were pleasantly surprised. Was expecting a more aquatic taste but it ended up tasting more like chicken lol. The sauce with it made a great combo and we cleared up that plate very fast. For our entrees we decided with the Dream California burger and the blackened chicken and bacon sandwich. The blackened chicken was more flavorful in my opinion and had a delicious spicy rub on the chicken. The burger was pretty good but I did order it medium and it came well. Was seasoned fine and the bacon and toppings were great especially the chipotle aioli and fried egg I had ordered on top. The pesto fries were also very yummy although my girlfriends homemade recipe I find is better. After destroying that we were given an option for dessert and went for a peanut butter like pie and it was tasty. Light creamy peanut butter flavor and texture with a side of whip cream drizzled with caramel. Overall the experience was spectacular. Only things I wish were better was faster service with our waitress since we had empty water glasses for a while and my burger was cooked to what I wanted. The atmosphere was very cute and comforting which made the perfect date atmosphere. I would come to this place again if I were in the Cooperstown Area. Hope this review helps! read more

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I haven't lived in Cooperstown for almost 10 years so eating here was definitely a new experience for me. The only way I can summarize the experience at Mel's is upscale dining at a very non-upscale price. They describe themselves as a traditional American restaurant but they put a uniquely modern twist on their menu items. A brief look at their menu would make you think you're suddenly dining at a New York City hotspot. For instance, I had the southern inspired burger which features a fried egg and pulled pork on top of the patty. Can you honestly think of another restaurant in the area that features a menu item like that? Kudos to the owners for taking this daring risk and pulling it off with outstanding success! read more

Mel's at 22 - Side view of the southern inspired burger. - Bars Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

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Recently had romantic dinner at Mel's @ 22.... Location was perfect [New York City seating / side by side tables...but if you ask for a corner you can corner your gal all you want]...ha ha. If you don't go for any other reason order the MUSSELLS........best we have EVER had and tons of them for just $12.00. If you don't like them, I will buy them for you! I ordered the steak tenderloin and it melted in my mouth / PERFECT. MY bride ordered the chicken parm and it was wonderful, fresh, moist and delicious. Please do yourself a favor and have dinner of Sunday brunch at this location, you will be pleased as punch. Paul Clapper, Syracuse, NY read more

My favorite place in Cooperstown! The food is amazing, the drinks are great, the place is cozy, and the service is fabulous. The stuffed avocado was my entree of choice, and absolutely zero regrets about it! As a matter of fact, if I go back, I'd have it again. There's a drink called a Hibiscus something or other. Absolutely delicious! Light and sweet and everything I've ever wanted in a martini! There's a huge photo of a cow behind the bar.... he's apparently a local celebrity... they refer to him as Andre the Entree, and he's adorable. I walked in with no reservations and sat at the bar for my meal without an issue. The bartender was very friendly, and engaged everyone at the bar in conversation throughout the evening. If you're in Cooperstown, I say do it! read more

Mel's at 22 - Andre the Entree. - Bars Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

At the center of the town and OH! what a great wine list this place had! Even better we were able to get the full menu at the bar (there were only 2 of us) and the food was amazing too. While the front area is a bit loud when the fab musicians are playing, it was just the best later (8pm) night Friday dinner after a long drive. The mac-n-cheese with lobster was creamy, yet with that crispy broiler touch, and the lobster chunks were plentiful; very filling! My friend had the tuna with an amazing sauce, fresh green beans not overdone, and she said it was worth the price! I will definitely go again next time I'm in town. read more

Wait staff was horribly inefficient... 15 minutes before someone came over for drink orders(water)... Another 15 to get the waters... and finally food arrived, 20,minutes later...This was on a Monday afternoon... Yikes!! Once the food arrived, overall, it was very tasty... Pesto fries were very good, but the pickles were pathetic.. read more

Mel's at 22 - The pickle of death - Bars Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

Arrived late...we each had a bowl of clam chowder...which was delicious and we split a lobster roll, also out standing read more

Mel's at 22 - Lobster Roll - Bars Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

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Mel's is a great place to eat. Brian, the owner/chef is really great at putting together seafood dishes, as well as the good old American Hamburger. The prices are reasonable and the quantity is great. The staff is attentive and knowledgeable. I don't care for the ambiance - you sit right on top of the next table, but I was just in town this morning and it seems that the place is undergoing renovations. Hopefully the seating arrangements will be a bit more friendly to the customers. They get a pretty healthy bar crowd, so it can get a little loud, but it's a great spot for the seafood items, and of course, the tots...the best in town! read more

Excellent food, service and location. The shrimp risotto was outstanding. Need reservations, it fills up quickly. Chris took good care of us at the bar. read more

We stopped in after a disappointing day at the dreams park and Mel's completely lifted our spirit ! Best food of the trip! My fiancé got the pork chops and my son tried the Mac n cheese kids meal. The food was amazing service was good and my Bloody Mary was perfect ! read more

Mel's at 22 - Shrimp and scallops piccata - Bars Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

We came here for lunch when me and my bf vissted cooperstown.. It was a good lunch, I ordered the black and blue burger, with the tomato soup. The tomato soup is outstanding tasted like fresh tomato. The burger was very good as well. And the beer I ordered the cioperstown brued beer it was very good so I like it. My BG loved everything he order as well. The place was clean and we had the window sit where we had the view of the small town and I loved it. The service was really good as well, my server came a few times to ask us if we are ok. Price was good its afoorsable with good food. We will come back the next time we are in town. read more

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