Mel's was definitely the spot to be on a Friday night in Cooperstown as they were book full of reservations as soon as we got into town, but the bar was full service and first come first serve so we chose this adventure. The bar service was great! My husband and I both got cocktails, me with the cucumber jalapeño Margarita which was extremely refreshing and had me boozy wishing only a few sips. For the price you cannot beat that. My husband got the Manhattan and said his was standard fair. We started with the potstickers appetizer which had a crunch yet doughy outside and was served with seaweed salad and they were great. They weren't mind blowing, but definitely an appetizer I would get again. Our entrees came with a side salad and whatever balsamic dressing they put on the salad was fantastic! We both got the special which was a coconut crusted halibut served over rice and with a mango slaw. The rice was delicious and there was some type of liquid underneath it that the rice soaked up. The halibut was tender and the coconut crust paired wonderfully with it. The meal truly hit the spot. All in all Mel's was a solid place and it's clear it's frequented by the local. I can see this being a place that if we lived in the area I would frequent regularly as well. Worth visiting and enjoying at cocktail at when you're up in Cooperstown. read more

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Great food and ambience. Service great. Drinks are magnificent. The food is not expensive and great taste. I will totally recommend this place for a quick bite. read more

Great spot - Just at the end of busy main street- Wonderful outdoor seating - Staff helpful - Restaurant interior is beautifully decorated for an upscale experience while shorts and t's outside are perfectly fine! Great for groups - we were 6 and no trouble getting a table before heading to a game- They do not accept reservations and will sit you without the whole party was there (much appreciated as one member of the party had to drop kids off at the field first) - Parking is on the street but plenty of street parking on two sides of the building- Honestly the perfect spot for a great meal! read more

5 stars! We were in town on a Wednesday around 5 PM and walked in without a reservation. All staff was friendly, attentive and helpful. Started with a round of martinis. Delicious. Got the spinach and artichoke rangoons which were crispy outside and perfect warm temp inside. Then we both got the haddock. I got their classic baked haddock dish that came with vegetables, mashed potatoes and lobster sauce. I cleared the entire plate. My boyfriend got the Spanish haddock which was blackened with Cajun spice, vegetables and rice. He also cleared the plate and really enjoyed it. We finished with the creme brûlée cheesecake which was so flavorful. We are still raving about it days later. It's been a while since we enjoyed a dinner out where we loved every single thing we ordered. Highly recommend! read more

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Right down the street from Baseball Hall of Fame, stopped in for a lunch in-between floors at the Hall of Fame. Just beat the rush (good thing) seated quickly, waiter was friendly and went over specials. We went with Burgers, one with Tots (Hot & crispy), one with Fries (not as hot & limp). Both Burgers were thick & juicy, cooked just right, and nicely dressed with fresh toppings. We asked for condiments on the side (no problem). The Burger was (5 Stars). Got really busy so had to flag down waiter for refills (it got really busy). We were checked in on by the Owner (I think) which was nice. Prices were reasonable and we left full and ready for last floor at Hall of Fame, maybe a nap. read more

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We were in town for a special occasion. We ordered a decent chunk of the menu. The scallops were excellent. The crab cakes were good. The salmon on quinoa and couscous was good but needed another element to balance all the sweet elements in the dish. I found the pomegranate seeds to be a major distraction. My butter chicken dish was excellent! Service overall was good. Our waitress was kind and attentive but support staff was grumpy and would not make eye contact even with my signature sweetness. read more

Mel's at 22 - The salmon on quinoa and couscous with pomegranate seeds. - Bars Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

amazing food with very fast service. the servers were very nice and were always there to refill drinks and check up. the dining area makes you feel right at home. read more

We were in the area to celebrate our anniversary and heard this was THE best place for dinner - and we now agree! I ordered the Clique Six Salmon - the salmon had a good crust on it but was not overdone. The noodles and the house Asian sauce perfectly complimented the fish. I really wish little spatulas were served with dinner so I could have scrapped up every last drop of the sauce. Hubby ordered Butter Chicken. His first time ordering this and he really enjoyed it. His comment "every bite was as rich and deep and flavorful as one would hope". I think he hit the nail on the head there! read more

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got amazing burgers with some friends! super quick service and the staff was friendly!

Excellent food, specialty cocktails and exceptional service from our server, Michelle. We enjoyed our dinner so much that our group of 8 returned the next evening. How I wish Mel's at 22 was closer to home. Highly recommend! read more

This restaurant is the most obvious choice for a post BB hall of fame and museum stop. Bustling, good varierty, humongous portions, and reasonable prices. I ordered a cup of soup - a good chicken and rice and then a Cobb salad without any additional toppings. The salad was a very generous portion with eggs, blue cheese, bacon, avocado, and an assortment of veggies over greens. White balsamic dressing was perfect. Everything was fresh. Be prepared for crowds on weekends, but they seem to have quick turnover. read more

Loved the crab cakes and New England Clam chowder! Both dishes were cooked to perfection. Excellent service! Very nice outdoor patio with a few accessible tables. Not sure about wheelchair access indoors. read more

Much needed up that comes in a little late. My husband and I had been hesitant to go back here, but I'm glad we did. It happened that we had a large party and they were one of the only places in town that could accommodate on short notice and had vegan option, so back we went. Everyone enjoyed their meal, whether it was plant based, fish or steak. Everything tasted great. The two people who ordered the fish and chips seemed particularly pleased. Service was great, I just wish I could remember our server's name so I could include it. It's a comfortable, casual place with a slightly upscale feel, and I hear the drinks are delicious. We will be back. read more

Can't go wrong here, the reviews are good for a reason. Clam chowder needs more clams, wedge needs more bacon and the blue cheese dressing is just ok. Cheese curds are great fried shrimp not so great. Crab cakes above average and the specialty drinks are solid. Service was sensational. Go for it. read more

We came here while visiting Coopstertown. It didn't take us long to decide that we wanted to eat here and it was worth the try! I want to apologize in advance because I don't remember what the dish is called, but it was pasta with rosemary. The pasta sauce wasn't watery. It was cheesy and creamy. It was also very aromatic. The rosemary was the star of the dish. Mel's did really well at bringing the fragrance of the rosemary while maintaining the balance of overall flavor. The pasta was al dente. The shrimp was perfectly cooked. The mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, and the spinach were a nice touch to the dish. All the ingredients complimented each other really well. I recommend Mel's for its flavor and quality. There's something for everyone here. I am actually really sad that I don't know when there will be the next time I will be back here to eat this dish again... read more

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

I really don't want to write a bad review about anything in Cooperstown. It's such a special place, but this visit was really bad. It seemed extremely busy for the restaurant staff, even though half the restaurant was empty. Our waitress probably took 20 minutes to come greet us and get a drink order so we sat and watched others getting service and we didn't even have water. Not ideal with children. We ordered, I'm gluten free and ordered a gluten free meal and while I was explaining the gluten free necessity, I asked if I could have the fries. The waitress said yes. Our food came out on phases and we never got to ask for anything like extra napkins or where the rest of the food was. People who came in after us ate before we got our food, it was not a pleasant experience. I started eating my food, which came after everyone else's and even though my main wasn't very yummy, the fries were good. Finally, when we were ready to get out and just run away, I told the waitress the fries were good and I was happy they were gluten free ... you have to try to be positive when it's this bad, right?! She said they weren't gluten free fries and she forgot about that. Even though it was specified clearly. I was very upset, this could ruin our short weekend up there. Everyone passed to box up any leftovers, which is rare for us. When we finally got the bill, I told the waitress the table was really sticky and needed to be wiped down, maybe the next person didn't need to stick to the table if they endured what we did... she said it wasn't that the table needed to be wiped... it was the chemicals they used to clean the tables were eating away at the table top finish Had been here before years earlier and enjoyed it, so was very disappointed to have such a long and unenjoyable experience here. I hope they turn things around, if they do, I won't know but love this town and this area. Two stars because we sat at a table with chairs that didn't break. Good luck guys! read more

Great fish fry special today (10/17/25), but fries were poorly cooked. Corned Beef was excellent. Bathrooms clean and accommodating. Service was great. I'm giving it three stars because I got the feeling they knew the fries were substandard, but served them anyway. read more

Best blueberry/walnut bitters Manhattan and fried mozzarella in Cooperstown! This is our second year here and this tops our picks. Make reservations! read more

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

Tried to go to Mel's for lunch today. The signs said open but the doors were locked and no one was there. No one answered the phone either.

Stopped for lunch on my second day at Cooperstown NY to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame. Mel's is a nice place one room with a bar and high top tables the other with regular tables. Very bright interior. I was quickly seated and ordered. The soup of the day was an excellent tomato basil. Nice rich flavor. I ordered the deep fried haddock sandwich with tater tots. All sandwiches come with fries or tots with garlic fries extra. The fish was nicely breaded, hot and crispy. Nice flavor it came with lettuce, tomato, and a side of tartar sauce which I did not use. The tots were perfect. Great service I'd highly recommend it for lunch. There is a full bar with 6 beers on tap read more

Mel's at 22 - Haddock sandwich with Tater Tots - Bars Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

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Delicious beet salad. Excellent clam chowder. Great service. Ate outdoors very relaxing. read more

You can't go wrong with Mel's. Food was great and service impeccable. Michele was our server and she was pleasant and extremely attentive. Great spot! read more

We had an incredible lunch & dinner at Mel's on Friday!!! The entire staff was friendly, attentive, & kind (even on what's likely the busiest day of the year - the day of the parade of legends for the HOF!) Food was all delicious (I'll dream of the risotto for years, mmmm). They were so accommodating of my dad's needs & the service was impeccable. We will definitely be back!!! read more

Tamika was an amazing server who helped us enjoy a wonderful meal. She provided us with the specials and recommendations as we choose our meals. We all choose a first course. For my boyfriend it was the chunky and thick clam chowder. For my son it was the Caesar salad with crunchy croutons and big Parmesan cheese shavings. For me it was the roasted beet salad minus the goat cheese. All were large servings and delicious. We all started our meal with cocktails. Boyfriend got Blanton's bourbon on the rocks- very generous pour. I had the spicy jalapeño & cucumber margarita and my son a whiskey apple cocktail. Well-made and yummy! Dinner serving were amazing! Boyfriend a tender cooked medium French pork chop with mashed potatoes and green beans. Son had 4 scallops with creamy lobster risotto that he ate every bite and stated it was delicious. I enjoyed their vegan choice which was a miso noodle bowl with mushrooms, rice noodles and bok choy! Very flavorful and filling. I was offered protein to add but declined due to my first course salad which was quite filing. No regrets! Definitely would dine here again and a great choice while in Cooperstown. Tomorrow it's up early and to the National baseball hall of fame. read more

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Pretty awesome place, and seems like Mel's at 22 is the place to be! It was so awesome that I visited Mel's at 22 two times during my 5-day Cooperstown trip. I will say that the service staff is super friendly and fun (especially Steve, the bartender). Just be aware that the lunch menu is quite different from the dinner menu. Before arriving at the restaurant (for my 1st visit), I saw a bunch of yummy pictures on Yelp featuring lobster risotto, crab cakes, and lobster Mac n Cheese. Unfortunately, during my lunch visit, those items were unavailable. However, I managed to satisfy my seafood craving with the clam chowder, which I highly recommend, and the fish sandwich. Oh, if you get the fish sandwich (or any other type of sandwich) definitely substitute the regular french fries for the pesto fries. If I ever visit Cooperstown, NY again, I will definitely stop by Mel's at 22 to try the dinner menu and to have a drink or five. read more

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Make a reservation! On a weekend long wait to walk in for dinner. We made reservations for next evening but decided to come for lunch because it wasn't crowded. Came here on reccomendedation from friends who are in Cooperstown often. It's a weird vibe. Bluegrass country music, shabby chic decor with leather bench seating and chandeliers hanging. I don't care, I'm here for the food. It was good, but didn't live up to expectations. Maybe dinner menu is better. Lunch is mostly salads, paninis and burgers. The flies in the bathroom were a real turn off. Ladies room. Not one or 2, like 10! And the toilet paper hadn't been replaced. Just nee roll laying on top of empty roll. The place just opened for lunch. I decided on beer battered haddock sandwich with salad as my side. Specifically asked no tomatoes. Thank God I'm not allergic I just hate them. So when my haddock came with juicy tomato slices on it, which the juice soaked into my sandwich..I was disappointed but didn't say anything because it took a really long time for our lunch to come. My husband got a southwest salad with chicken, which was generous portion and looked good. Again, just took to long. The beer batters haddock was delicious, but uninspired. The roll does it no justice. Too small, and fell apart while eating it. Need a larger more dense bread to support the serious cut of fish. Could use some cheese or something. But the fish itself was delish! Service was slow& ehh. Took forever to get our lunch, and way too long to get the check. Waitress never asked if we wanted another drink or dessert. At this point the bathroom flies had I heated into the restaurant. As we got up to leave my husband noticed the leather bench was stained in many places. Overall was disappointed. Glad we did lunch and don't hold out for dinner here. Maybe just an off day. But clean up your act. It's too classy a place to be so gross. read more

Mel's at 22 - Southwest salad with chicken. Nice portion! - Bars Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

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Wow what a great find! We stopped in for lunch after shopping on Main Street and I was blown away by the beautiful ambiance of a clean, well decorated, and tidy restaurant. Then came the best burger Ive ever had in my life. I know that's a big statement but seriously- cold crisp lettuce and tomato, thinly sliced red onion, crunchy dill pickles, thick slice of melting cheddar, a burger patty hand made not frozen and it was well seasoned, not over salted but not without flavor, and all of it packed in a soft but sturdy brioche bun. It was perfect. Tots were yummy too. Service was fast and friendly. Location was easy to access. Add Mel's to your must-eat list in Cooperstown. read more

Great place for lunch and maybe more. Salads were super fresh. Burger and Reuben were excellent. Prices were very reasonable especially for the quality. It's busy, but worth the wait. read more

QUAINT & CUTE PLACE, GOOD FOOD. I was recently in Cooperstown, NY with a friend for a couple days and we really enjoyed Mel's at 22! The restaurant is super cute and quaint. They also have a nice outdoor patio with additional seating. They have a very diverse menu - everything from butter chicken, to pastas, to burgers and salads. We each enjoyed our food and the service was good. Would definitely recommend and go back. read more

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Outstanding bar and dining service and amazing, creative menu selections. The Barn Burner Burger is huge and flavorful. Love the tots! Mac and cheese has a delicious richness and is full of flavor. Every single specialty cocktail is wonderful! Yes, tried them all. read more

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

We where in downtown cooperstown and we saw this place so we stopped by and they where busy they only had outdoor seating. I'm a big guy and I had trouble sitting in the chair outside but the waitress was super nice and got me one from inside. My wife ordered Cobb salad with salmon and it was very delicious, we even ordered one too go for dinner. My son had the shrimp basket and he liked them. I had the California burger and it was okay nothing special. My son ordered a turkey bacon wrap and it was delicious. I believe this place is more know for salads and sandwiches, but stop by and check it out. read more

Fantastic fish & chips. We ordered take out so I can't comment on the ambiance but for a nice little restaurant in Cooperstown it was a high recommend. read more

Visiting Cooperstown and someone at the hotel suggested this place - Glad they did Started with the Clam Chowder - Plentiful but could have had a little more taste. The Burger came out medium rare as requested and had a nice charred taste to it The salad was also great - The Calamari was the best I've had in years - Perfectly breaded and perfectly cooked - I you like calamari YOU WILL LOVE THIS PLACE - WOULD COME BACK JUST FOR THIS ITEM. read more

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This is not Alice's Mel's place. I believe there is a picture of who, I think, is Mel at the front of the restaurant and I expect that Mel is, or would be, very proud of this restaurant. I had New England clam chowder, which had a crap-ton of clams, and the duck special with soba noodles in a miso reduction. All off-the-hook good. Duck was served medium rare at request. Crazy good dressing on the salad. The whole group raved about it, which is really unusual for this group. Others had the three cheese Mac and cheese, salmon with rice noodles in a spicy Asian sauce, and everyone raved about their meals. One negative is that you pay extra for shrimp on Caesar salad and they charge $6 for four (4) smaller sized shrimp. It's kind of nit pick, but little things like that can affect an experience. They serve Ommegang beer in bottles and generously potent mixed drinks. Service was paced very well and was incredibly friendly, professional, and accurate. The hostess was friendly and accommodating. Definitely a place to which I would go back the next time I visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Stottlemyre, Allen, Ott, all of them, would have loved this place in the heart of baseball. read more

Staff was nice and responsive. Atmosphere was chill and nice. Very clean. Food was very good-- not great but very good.

I went to this spot with my father for a beginning-of-trip dinner. We were very pleased with the quality and portion of food which we ordered! There service was excellent, especially when the chef accepted our constructive criticism and personally spoke with us about his restaurant. If we ever come by Cooperstown again, we will definitely stop by this spot again! read more

Mel's at 22 - Fresh Mozzarella, Tomatoes, Basil, and Vinaigrette - Bars Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

I didn't find the menu very enticing nor was it particularly diverse or healthy. They could use a homemade veggie burger and GF options. Service was pretty poor too read more

First, and most importantly, the food was mediocre at best. Went at lunchtime and the place was very crowded with families and kids. There were 4 adults at our table. We ordered a variety; burgers, clam chowder, lobster roll, salad, fries, & tots. The burger was ordered well done, but came out medium rare. We returned it for another. The chowder was thicker than paste and the taste was not authentic. The lobster roll was served on greasy buttered Texas style toast. Needless to say, we won't be going back or recommending this restaurant. But, the waitstaff was very nice and helpful. read more

The perfect little spot to have a delicious lunch, with bright windows to read by. Food came out quick, service was lovely. Items on the menu for everyone including fresh specials. Absolutely going to be back again! read more

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Had dinner @ Mel's the first night we were in Cooperstown. Luckily we just there and had not wait to get a table without reservations. Would highly recommend making reservations especially during busy season. Service was good and staff friendly. Agree with the reviews about sitting right next to the kitchen - that door is loud every time the staff does in and out. Can you say food coma? We must have been really hungry... Appetizers were great! Recommend the clam chowder and tater tots! Complimentary fresh hot baked bread with butter was good too. Mussels and fries were ok. Main course: Highly recommend the lobster risotto! Agree with the other reviews...must have dish, even if you share. We shared several dishes so we could try. It was delicious! the bone-in ribeye (was actually bone out, even better) was good too. It comes with side salad. Roasted veggie ravioli was ok - prefer marinara vs tomato sauce. Salmon was also good. Too full to have dessert, but save room if you go. Will come back when in town again. read more

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