The food was not good. 3 of us had burgers and only ate half. They had no flavor. Buns were dry and had no flavor either. Catfish was not fresh fried catfish but rather frozen catfish planks. Obviously people go here for the singing waiters and waitresses which was good. Will not go back. read more

Service was great... food was good but seems a bit overpriced for what you get... I can get a steak dinner at Texas Roadhouse for cheaper than my wrap and fries here... that said the ambience with the singing wait staff makes up for that. A place we visit each time we come. read more

Mel's Hard Luck Diner - Chicken wrap and club sandwich - Diners Near Me - Branson, Missouri

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Always on our list to visit anytime we're in town. Food is good, ice cream is giant size. In May of 2023 my wife & I couldn't finish a single banana split between us, believe me I tried. read more

In my last 4 or 5 trips to Branson, I've never made it to this place when they were open for a variety of reasons despite hearing about it from everyone because it's so famous. It is absolutely worth every bit of the hype! The food and service are amazing. These are not waiters and waitresses who sing... they are performers who serve on the side. The diner is a classic and fun throwback to rock and roll 50's era. I had the Country Fair plate, which is mini corn dogs, chicken tenders, french fries, and cream gravy (I think this was a choice of sauce - ranch, bbq, honey mustard, etc). It was a ton of food that would easily feed 2 - 3 adults or 4 - 6 kids. My parents split a bacon cheeseburger by some fancy name. Some of the performers sell their CDs in the cute gift shop at the back of the restaurant and will be happy to sign them for you as a souvineer. The ice cream dishes are HUGE!!! read more

Cute little dinner on the Branson strip. Basic dinner food, Chicken Cried Steak was delicious. Service was outstanding. The waitresses walk around singing throughout the dining experience. read more

Food is ok. Nothing to rave about but what you would expect at a diner. But we did come back twice for ice cream! They're huge. One of my boys really loved the lava cake a la mode and we had the banana split once and the chocolate nachos. The servers were all super friendly and they're all great singers too! (We didn't know that coming in. Ha! And didn't mind since we came back for seconds for ice cream.) It's a cute classic diner. It's clean bigger than expected. read more

Mel's Hard Luck Diner - Chocolate nachos (Not sure why all the spoons when we weren't sharing!) - Diners Near Me - Branson, Missouri

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Great place for Families !!! Good food and treats plus the Waitresses and Waiters singing is a huge bonus !!! A must try in Branson Mo!!!! read more

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We'd heard of this place, had our ideas about it and decided to go. Confusing waitlist, poor quality food. Nothing was hot. Service was pretty bad. We were a party of two so the waiter had much more going on than to serve us. The only thing I enjoyed was the singing. read more

Amazing service, wonderful atmosphere and we loved hearing the staff sing. It was a blessing to hear families celebrate special moments at Mel's. Chisholm our waiter went above and beyond at our visit. we had an excellent first visit and We can't wait to visit again. read more

Mel's Hard Luck Diner - Cookie and brownie dessert - Diners Near Me - Branson, Missouri

The atmosphere was super fun & our waitress, Kelly, was really nice & efficient. It's very unique. The only reason I'm giving 4 stars is because the food could have been better. Pretty basic. . read more

The bbq burger was really good and the workers were so nice we loved watching them sing

Overall it was a fun place! The restaurant is nestled in this little Christmas community place so there are tons of little shops around. The restaurant servers sing live which is really neat! I got a chocolate milkshake and it was seriously one of the best milkshakes I've ever had! Food was good - loved their fries. Chili cheese dog was pretty good as well. My husband ordered a burger and it was good but can only be cooked to well done. It's definitely a fun place for lunch. The place was packed and had a great vibe! read more

Mel's Hard Luck Diner - There was enough milkshake made for two glasses! The remained was left in the steel cup until I was ready for more. - Diners Near Me - Branson, Missouri

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I would give a 0 if possible. The burger was cold in fact the bun was more frozen. The meat was very questionable and cold. I would not recommend. This is probably the worst meal I have ever had served to me. I did not eat more than one bite in fear of getting sick. The atmosphere was cute and the singing was very nice. I would suggest ice cream only. read more

If I was simply rating the service, and more specifically the servers, this place would be a definite 5-star plus! But... when I rate an establishment it's based upon the overall experience. Our visit to Mel's Hard Luck Diner was awesome, but the food was pretty much average. It was good, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't great. What was great was the singing servers! They were fantastic! Singing songs from the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, and I'm sure into present day. The thing is, these guys aren't just your karaoke crowd; they're actually really good. Many of them work at the shows around town and serve food here during their off hours. We would have lingered longer, but we just couldn't tie up the table any longer... I had the patty melt. It was good, but I was expecting more. My wife had the southwest chicken salad and it was good. My son had kids spaghetti and seemed to like it. It was all good, just not spectacular. Thus the 4-Star rating. When we return to Branson, we will most certainly return to Mel's Hard Luck Diner! read more

Fun restaurant to fully enjoy the singing waiters. The shakes are so good. When we are in Branson, this will always be worth the time to enjoy the good food and service. The place gets loud and very busy so make it an early dinner stop. I would give it 5 stars but it does need some remodeling. read more

Fantastic food and wonderful, singing staff! Huge floats, and the best cheese steak I've ever had. read more

Mel's Hard Luck Diner - Grace Lugo, one of the singing wait staff-they are so hospitable here. And the food-EPIC diner food and ice cream desserts! - Diners Near Me - Branson, Missouri

Great ambiance, fast friendly service and delicious food. Never a dull moment while you're visiting and left with full bellies! read more

Mel's Hard Luck Diner - Our singing waiter! - Diners Near Me - Branson, Missouri

If you want a quick bite to eat late at night, this is your place really good fast service. I got the club and it was amazing.

Fun with excellent food!! Relax and have a great time! We went for a birthday and they made it special!

This was an interesting stop. All the servers sang, as the sign says. The food was fine, nothing special. It was $102 for 4 meals. A fun atmosphere but not if you want to have a conversation. read more

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It's a fun eating environment where the servers take turns singing live music as they wait tables. My wife and I had burgers. The kids had burgers too. They were great. My kids and I had milkshakes and she had a hot fudge sundae, the ice cream was good too. It's kind of pricey, but you are paying for a performance in a way since there's live music. The servers were very friendly and invited our kiddos to dance as they sang. read more

Amazing desserts! Wait staff take turns singing. The environment is fun for all ages. We had a great time. read more

Mel's Hard Luck Diner - Banana Split - Diners Near Me - Branson, Missouri

Great place to eat. Food was good diner food. I had chicken salad and chicken corn chowder combo. Huge bowl of soup, chicken salad full of nuts and craisins. Singing was superb and they sang for son for his birthday. Ice cream was really good too. read more

mel's hard luck diner reviews . The food sucked. My nasty McDonald's for lunch was better. My husbands burger was a frozen patty that tastes like liver. All the people around us that got the burgers ate not even half of it and were also saying how terrible it was. My chicken tenders may not have been cooked all the way didn't eat them to find out. The ice cream wasn't homemade and sad part is we got a big one just because we were still hungry because we could not finish our dinner. Then left there and hit McDonald's. Worst food I have ever had. Sad part is the corn dog nuggets you could lit make from scratch and take less time and be so much better. The burgers could be made fresh and take less time and be much better. I think people go for the experience of the singing because it's definitely not the food and if they say it's good. Well they never had real diner food read more

Great decor and the singers were amazing. Delicious food. The portions were plenty and that banana split was enormous! Rachel took care of us and did an awesome job serving and singing my daughter's song by request. We bought a couple of her CDs and she graciously autographed them for us. read more

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When we are in Branson we always stop here for lunch. If your looking for great southern cooking you come here. Now be prepared for a wait but it won't last long to get a seat. Your going to get great service everytime from here. And the food is what southern food is soppose to taste like. The chicken fried steak dinner with mashed potatoes and white gravy is my go to meal from here. Everything is cooked to perfection and the rolls are to die for. The meatloaf is also a big hit as well. Great food and great vibes. Can't beat this restaurant read more

We are here this evening and this place was fun. They had servers singing and they place was extremely busy. They were handling it very well. The place is very loud though so do not go expecting to have a lot of conversation at the table. The food was pretty typical diner food but definitely good. We didn't get any ice cream but they were coming out massive. Loud as can be but definitely fun, I'd recommend. read more

I can tell how this place could be popular with the tourist. You get dinner and entertainment for one price. Your waiter or waitress is also the entertainment. I think the service is affected by that. Our waiter was friendly, but not available. We sat there for close to 15minutes before anyone even came to our table. We almost walked out. The food was good. I had the cod and subbed the fries for a salad for $2.99 more. The cod was fried. The plate came with bread and tartar sauce. I made a fish sandwich out of it and used some of the fish on my salad. The garden salad was a good size. The menu is pretty much diner food with classics such as burgers and ice cream floats. I will say that the staff is talented. They sing beautifully. Be aware that they do a lot of Christian songs. They do mix in a mainstream song here and there. read more

Mel's Hard Luck Diner - Menu - Diners Near Me - Branson, Missouri

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Love the food and music! We visit every time we are in Branson. My favorite is the chili burger. Save room for desert!!

Food, service, and ambiance were all fantastic! Such a fun atmosphere! We had the burger and philly, both were delicious! read more

Mel's Hard Luck Diner - Philly and burger were both fantastic! - Diners Near Me - Branson, Missouri

Had an absolutely wonderful time at Mel's! How can you resist going to a joint that is going to serenade to you while you eat??? All our food was great with good portions. The biggest surprise was the roast. I'm not a roast fan, but this was delicious! Of course the main attraction for Mel's was the singing waiters and waitresses. Every couple of minutes one would take turns at the mic and we were not disappointed even once. Our specific waitress obviously had her voice going out, but she pushed through her song and did a great job! Usually at this type of joint I recommend going for the entertainment and not the food. Not at Mel's! If your not into singing servers, at least go for the diner food. Happy eating Yelpers! read more

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Service was ok . Those hamburgers are horrible. The dessert is what you should go for .music themed as wait staff will sing . Diner vibes 60's . Chicken fried steak was okay. Appetizer cheese sticks were good. Don't get the burgers. Bathroom are small and can cause a long wait time. read more

On vacation from Kansas City, the food was really good, the staff was very friendly and attentive. Our only complaint was that when they do sing live, the music is very loud, but there is a sign near the front door stating just that. read more

We loved the food! But the singing waiters were amazing! This was is a must for the true Branson experience!

I absolutely love the singers at Mel's. It's so fun to have them walking around singing. And most of them are really good. Plus it's gospel and country music, which I love. And their food is excellent. Huge portions. But the top is their ice cream. Get a chocolate shake. You won't regret it! read more

This place is just fun!! If you are looking for an incredible dessert, fun family entertainment while you eat, and well a good time go here. The location is perfect! This is among a bunch of amazing little shops and you can find something for everyone! They do not take reservations but they move quickly and will take your number to text you when ready. read more

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A perfect example of a diner but the food is better. Singing servers and a wonderful atmosphere make for a great visit. I had the chili burger which is a giant open-faced monstrosity. The chili was great and the burger had that amazing char grilled flavor. The fries were perfectly cooked and seasoned. The chocolate milk shake was exceptional. When in Branson, don't miss this place. read more

Mel's Hard Luck Diner - In case you cannot find it. - Diners Near Me - Branson, Missouri

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Fast friendly service. We had the baked potato soup, salad, cheeseburger and the kids had the chicken tenders. Generous helpings. Flavorful diner fare. They also serve ice cream, sundaes and shakes. The food portions were quite generous so we didn't try desert but it looked really good. The waiters and waitresses sing a variety of songs while you dine. Making it a unique fun time. read more

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We tried this place after reading all glowing reviews and after our experience yesterday, I can honestly say I don't understand those ratings. The ice cream deserts looked amazing and I understand where the overall ambiance was trying to go but everything inside looks run down and frayed at the edges. Some of the ceiling titles had water damage and there were several flies gathered in the ceiling near the grill/fryer area. The dessert display cabinet also looked pretty sad and I personally wouldn't have eaten anything that came out of it. As for the food, I had a cheeseburger and I only ate two bites of it because it tasted (and looked like) a frozen patty. The best part of my meal was the french fries and that's just sad because it shouldn't be that way. I will give them this, the singing waitstaff were very talented and seemed to be the best part of the entire experience. With that said, just about each time they finished a song they mentioned they had a CD that could be purchased in the gift shop. My recommendation is to not put too much stock in all of the glowing reviews. Save your money and go elsewhere! read more

Mel's Hard Luck Diner - Cheeseburger and Fries - Diners Near Me - Branson, Missouri

Atmosphere is excellent. Food and entertainment Outstanding. Large portions and desserts are big enough for two.