We've driven past Mely's so many times while sitting in the long In-N-Out drive-thru line next door and finally decided to give it a try. The great reviews didn't disappoint. From the moment our aguas frescas came out, we knew this place was different. The lemonade was freshly made, and honestly, who does that anymore? They do. Since it was our first visit, I asked our server to surprise me with her favorite dish. She recommended the Casorio, and wow. The presentation was beautiful, and it tasted even better. I can't gatekeep this place anymore. We moved to the area about two years ago and have been searching for a family-friendly restaurant with consistently great food. I think we finally found it. Our girls love pupusas, and they were a huge hit. We also ordered the fried yuca, which was delicious, and they had a new torta-style sandwich that wasn't even on the menu yet. It reminded me of a Salvadoran pan con pavo, and it was incredible. I have a feeling we're going to become regulars. Great food, friendly service, and a place we're excited to come back to. Highly recommend! read more

Returned for a second visit at this family run restaurant. Kind and quick service on a Saturday afternoon. Definitely good to order pupusas and seafood dishes. Indoor or patio seating. read more

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I always drive by this place and notice it because of the bright yellow building, and I finally got the chance to eat here for a friend's birthday party. They set up in the outdoor area, which was perfect for a small event. The staff even made special menus for the party, which I thought was a really nice touch. I got to try the queso fundido with chorizo, chicken empanada, pupusa revuelta, and the ceviche tostada plate. The queso fundido was cheesy and rich, and the salty chorizo paired perfectly with the chips. The chicken empanada was crispy on the outside with a moist and flavorful filling. The handmade pupusa was one of my favorites it was soft, cheesy, and packed with flavor. You could really taste that it was freshly made. The ceviche tostada plate was super fresh and refreshing, a great balance to all the richer dishes. Everything we had was delicious, and our server Melissa was awesome. She made sure everyone at the party was well taken care of and kept things running smoothly. read more

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Second visit. While we love Mexican food, Salvadoran food is a nice change. And this spot hits the spot! Each order made fresh. read more

Mely’s Restaurant - Revuelta pupusas: pork bean and cheese - Salvadoran Near Me - Pasadena, California

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For food we ordered some pupusas and the fried fish. Pupusas were soft and not greasy. While the fish was crispy and salty but tasty! The service was good as the staff walked around asking if we needed anything else. As for ambiance, we were treated to a night of Flamenco music and dance! What a great and fun show. The dancers were awesome and the guitarist was amazing! Will definitely be back. read more

Mely’s Restaurant - Revuelta Pupusa with curtido and two salsas... a traditional salsa de tomate (tomato sauce) and a spicy version! - Salvadoran Near Me - Pasadena, California

I've been wanting to try this place for a while however, we had a terrible experience for my father's 78th birthday. We were the first to arrive out of 3 parties. 2nd group came in 15 minutes after us and they got served their entire order first. They took about 45 minutes to bring on our appetizer and an hour and a half to start bringing out the rest of our food. My mom ordered the mojarra, a $30 plate and was given a fillet and veggies. Sopes were hard, no meat. When we inquired, they argued with us and at first said they had meat. When we dug in and showed them, they said we could choose either chicken or beef but not one of each which was our initial order. Overall, it took 2 hours to get all of our food and I never even received my order. I had to ask them to take it off the bill along with the fried plantain which was an appetizer that they brought at the end. We were patient as they seemed to be short staffed. When the bill came, they charged us for 3 extra beers and after explaining, the young girl gave attitude. We even told them they forgot to add a special drink as we weren't trying to cheat then in any way. Taking home leftovers was a courtesy, we ended up throwing everything away. I love to support my raza but I don't recommend this establishment, I will tell everyone I can and we will not be back read more

Unbelievably good food, adorable location with nice, colorful patio. Pupusas were warm, soft, and cooked to order. The owner and her staff were so incredibly warm. Had such good agua fresca of passionfruit. Please go here and support this gem! read more

This location has been different types of restaurants over the years. I ordered the chicken soup which was different in that the chicken (half) was on the side. The soup was pretty tasty but there was one vegetable that was in it that I did not care for. I think it's called chayote? Not sure but I did not like the taste. They also give you a pupusa but nothing inside so I would say a thick tortilla. It was good to dip in soup because it was bland. read more

Mely’s Restaurant - Salvadoran Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I am so confused by the high rating for this place. I went there and the service was poor and it wasn't even busy. The food was below average and over priced. They served us hard crusty beans, flavorless and overcooked chicken, overcooked hard eggs, and the food wasn't even hot and took forever to come out. The owner and a friend of hers were seated at the table next to us, and kept looking at us and speaking in Spanish about us like we had no clue what they were saying--we did. We ended up eating at In-n-Out when we left because the meal was such a let down. The ambiance is no frills with uncomfortable seating. Typically I give a place one or two tries, but this spot was such a let down that I'd not spend time or money there again. There are plenty of other spots in Pasadena that serve similar food that is flavorful, hot when served, and without the owner seated in the dining area judging her customers openly while they dine there. She asked if at liked the food and I was very honest with her. She took my honesty like a champ and that was the best thing about the place. Otherwise it's a complete waste of time and money. Again, the high rating confuses me, but we all have different palettes. I'll tell ya, I went in wanting to like the place, too, because I love South American food but so much was wrong with it. I even debated rating it tbh, but after some time I decided it's good to have conflicting opinions to help people decide where to spend their time and money. If you go there I hope you have a better experience than I did. read more

You have not tried a Salvi homecooked meal like the one you are about to have at Mely's Restaurant -- Latin American and Salvadoran Cuisine -- in Pasadena. After parking in the lot adjacent to restaurant, walking up the ramp (or steps), and swinging the heavy front door open, you are usually warmly greeted by Alicia, restaurant owner and mama of Mely (currently Mely is attending college and when she is on break will help behind the counter, too - it's a family business, after all). I happened upon this quiet, colorful pointy-roof house of a restaurant after deciding that I needed a break from the long lines at neighboring In-N-Out. That day between peak hours, I was the only customer dining in (whereas others came in to pickup their to-go orders) and easily struck up a conversation with Alicia. She was both personable and professional with a strong work ethic and sincere interest in providing delicious food and high quality customer experience, as if she was hosting you at her home. Over the many visits to Mely's we have shared coffee and conversations. As a Latina, I value other hardworking Latina leaders like Alicia. Who doesn't love supporting small businesses, especially women of color business owners? So, if you are off the beaten Pasadena path...visit Alicia at Mely's. Maybe I'll see you there, too. Now, for the foodies who want the 411: They offer 11 different types of pupusas for the meat lovers and veggies!!! Alcoholic beverages available, too. Coffee comes with cow milk (sorry, alternate milk drinkers - perhaps try adding their yummy Horchata instead). Breakfast served all day. Sometimes Alicia may close the restaurant early, so I recommend that you call in advance. An All-Gender restaurants available to customers. Outdoor seating for those hot days. The staff are sweethearts and bilingual. Note: There is a second location down the street called Mely's Pupuseria. ¡Buen provecho! read more

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The food was delicious and the service was great. Super friendly family owned place. The pupusas are huge. read more

Mely’s Restaurant - Pupusas, Carne Asada with Pico De Gallo Sauce, Wet burrito - Salvadoran Near Me - Pasadena, California

The reason I am giving this place a 2 star instead of 1 star is because the food was good, but the service was terrible. Upon walking in, what I presume was the owner, looked both my mom and I up and down & carried on with her conversation with the cook and waitress. I asked, if we could sit and she very dismissively said yes. No one came right away with the menus, instead they continued gossiping and then a few minutes later the waitress came over with the menus. Mind you, we were the only people in there. They make the food from scratch, so that took quite some time. However, during that time we weren't asked if we needed anything, not even a refill on water. As I mentioned food was good, I had the chilaquiles, and tried their shrimp & cheese pupusa, and platanos Fritos. All were good, with the exception of the owner staring at us eat the entire time. Maybe others don't mind being stared as they eat, but I sure don't like it. When it came to pay the bill, the owner sneezed into a napkin, placed it on the counter, and without hesitation and excusing herself to wash her hands, proceeded to ask for the payment. This place has potential if they work on customer service and making it a more pleasant environment. Definitely, will not be back! Good luck to them. read more

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Went to eat here for a calm mothers day breakfast and our experience was amazing! The restaurant is cute and welcoming and the staff is extremely kind, including the owner who came to check on us. Not many people know the difference between Mexican and classic Salvadoran food, so if you want to find out come to Mely's! read more

Mely’s Restaurant - Chicken Cooked in a Mushroom Sauce (HIGHLY RECOMMEND) - Salvadoran Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Delicious food, great customer service - everyone was so attentive and friendly, and also easy parking. We had pupusas and they were all delicious - they were full of flavor and the masa was so airy and fluffy. The curtido was so flavorful and refreshing - I couldn't get enough. The ambiance was nice, loved the fresh flowers with the monarch detail. I also think their outside patio is great for someone that wants to eat while getting some fresh air. We can't wait to go back and for anyone looking for delicious pupusas, you must try Mely's Restaurant! I appreciate the variety of Pupusas, there's something for everyone - meat eaters and vegans alike. Next time, I'll explore more of their menu, since they have other things besides the delicious pupusas we had today. Definitely worth checking out! I wish I would have taken pictures, but they were so delicious I ate everything before even thinking about taking pictures. read more

Absolutely worth coming back again and again We're visiting Pasadena and ended up at Mely's THREE times during our trip -- that should say everything. The pupusas are hands down some of the best I've ever had. Fresh, perfectly cooked, packed with flavor, and clearly made with care. Legit comfort food. The vibe is classic and welcoming, service is quick and friendly, and everything we ordered hit the spot. But those pupusas? Unforgettable. If you're in Pasadena and don't stop here, you're missing out. Already planning to come back next time we're in town. read more

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I'm from Las Vegas and locally we don't have that many places that have good Salvadoran food. The service was great and our pupusas even better they were huge. Worth the price. I was impressed by the quality of the food and surprised the line isn't out the door. We were very satisfied and 10/10 recommended! Soy de familia salvadoreña vivo en las vegas NV. Aqui no hay muchos buenos de comida salvadoreña. Quedé muy impresionada no solo con el servicio las pupusas estaban bien grandes, valió la pena precio. 10/10 recomendados read more

Mely’s Restaurant - Cheese and Pork Pupusa loroco and cheese pupusa - Salvadoran Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Glad to see there is Central American food in the neighborhood. The pupusas are huge and delicious!

The food was excellent! I really enjoyed the pupusas. My only comment is around the service. I got a sense that the woman helping us wasn't the usual waitress. We waited a long time to order and she seemed stressed and disorganized. Otherwise, it was worth the wait. read more

For 1 pupusas 11 dollars the panda express dish is cheaper Muy caro por algo tan pequeño read more

A true embodiment of "mini-but-mighty", the two plates we ordered came out quickly and the plates were splashed with colors between the fresh salad and veggies, warmed beans, pico de gallo, green onions, and carne. Each plate was not only visibly well proportioned with fats, proteins, carbs, and micronutrients but also ingested very well - free of the heavy oils and frying that is main place for other bigger chains. Overall, highly recommend eating here for a wholesome lunch with a pleasant and quiet atmosphere. read more

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Yum!!! Food is homemade, fresh, and excellent! Got the Melys breakfast which was a great sampling of food. The horchata was good but a little too my cinnamon for my taste. Also got a steak and cheese pupusa .. it was perfect. The staff was extremely friendly and offered great recommendations. Will definitely be back. read more

My friends and I just had brunch here and it was fantastic! They just started a brunch buffet that included enchiladas, potatoes, black beans, fruit, bacon and more! The service was excellent and it's such a cute, intimate place. The manager even brought us a bread pudding with guava sauce that was excellent! There's plenty of parking in the back and on the street. Definitely important to support places like these during this difficult time. read more

Mely’s Restaurant - Bread pudding with guava sauce - Salvadoran Near Me - Pasadena, California

I love Mely's Pupuseria so I came to check out their second spot near In N Out. The owner is adding new menu items from other cultures. She showed me a Guatemalan soup that a gentleman was eating and loving. She had also prepared some sweet & savory crepes as well as some Armenian dishes that her Armenian friend was cooking up that they will add to the menu. They want this location to be a fusion of different foods in addition the favorite Salvadoran dishes. They've been opened for a month. The space is bigger with room for 42 inside and they have tables out in the patio. They have parking, which I loved. The spot is clean, the service was good. The owner is always very friendly and attentive. I am looking forward to trying their new dishes when I'm back. read more

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We were looking just for In-N-Out, and we saw this place beside of the fast food. So, we decided to change the option. In my opinion, the place is Salvadorian and Guatemalan cuisine. The flavors are really different than others Latin food. The ambiance is a little bit more fancy, classic, and the plates are smaller than Mexican restaurants. Right portions for one person. The service is really nice. The price is average for nowadays. Just I thought the price of yucca a little bit expensive. Good place gorgeous a second date. They accept dogs in the patio. read more

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Absolutely horrible customer service and rude staff. Needed help with a 4 year old to use their restroom but can tell with their demeanor that they don't care about customers. One table of people inside on a Saturday afternoon. read more

I ordered chicharrón, pupusas, and atol de elote. Everything was good but the atol was exceptionally delicious! I ordered over the phone so I didn't sit inside but it was cute inside. read more

I did a grub hub to-go order and it was pretty good. The restaurant itself is cozy but busy with guests eating lunch. Upon arrival, the service was attentive and easy. I tried el Salvadoran horchata for the first time and it's an interesting taste. My pupusas were very good. Nice and cheesy how I like it. The shrimp ceviche was OK. I think it got too warm because it was sitting on top of my pupusas on the ride home. And the tostadas were a little stale. Overall, a decent experience! I'll be back for the pupusas! read more

Food-first review here: Hot, fast, and delicious! We had shrimp and cheese, veggie, chicken, and spinach + mushroom pupusas--and every single one was fantastic. My personal favorite was the shrimp and cheese. You get a lot of fresh, flavorful food for the price--great value. The staff was friendly, kind, and genuinely wanted to make sure we had a great time. It was so good, we came back two nights later and had an equally awesome experience! read more

Mely’s Restaurant - I'll let the empty plate speak for itself. Pupusas used to fill the plate, but within 20minutes, they filled my stomach. - Salvadoran Near Me - Pasadena, California

This place is absolutely amazing.The food is so good.I don't think i've tried anything.I didn't like here.I highly recommend this to anybody who wants some flavor read more

When they first opened, this spot was great! Finally some decent pupusas outside of DTLA. Just a few months later and..... recipes changed?? Definitely not worth the prices. I'd rather drive hangry and sit in DTLA traffic, circle around for 20 mins to find parking for better pupusas. Their Jamaica is still bomb though. 2 starts for the drinks alone. read more

This food is FILLED with love and delicious!!!!! I only have empty plate photos because we dove in. They also had lots of vegetarian and gluten free options. read more

Mely’s Restaurant - Pupusas we're here.... They are now in my happy belly... this place is delicious. - Salvadoran Near Me - Pasadena, California

Me & my bf stop by today for pupusas but we came for surprise apparently we came during there buffet brunch hour time. Which was amazing it 10/10 I love how they also included drinks too! read more

Mely’s Restaurant - Salvadoran Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I was visiting the area and stopped here after a hard day of travel. The service was quick and thoughtful and the ambiance like visiting a favorite member of the family. The food was tasty and fresh. I wish I had been in the area long enough to try more items on the menu, but hope to do so in the future. read more

Took my mom here for lunch yesterday, it was a pleasant surprise! The portion is big and taste fresh. Restaurant looked very clean and service was good. We came for breakfast today too, everything tastes good. We will come back for sure! read more

Mely’s Restaurant - Grilled fish dish - Salvadoran Near Me - Pasadena, California

Tasty food - pupusas were a must. Staffs don't speak much English. Struggled to understand orange vs apple juice. But overall friendly and professional. Would return to try more of the menu. read more

Mely’s Restaurant - Salvadoran Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Lovely service from the owner and the Salvadoran breakfast was made promptly and deliciously. The restaurant is tidy and you can tap your phone for payment. Ambience was welcoming and can't wait to go back. read more

Mely’s Restaurant - Coffee, Casorio Egg Style - Salvadoran Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Been here twice now. This place is really clean, cute and comfy. Their menu has some very interesting things that I've never seen before and so far what I've tried to tastes good! They have several pupusas with different fillings. We tried pork, cheese and beans, and also the mushroom and cheese one. The staff is super nice and friendly too! read more

Mely’s Restaurant - Pupusas - Salvadoran Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Shut the front door.... and get in your favorite mode of transportation and RUN to this charming little hole in the wall establishment. Who knew the best lunchtime spot in Pasadena is on Foothill. Passed by it a thousand times and finally took the plunge. The kind and generous owner guided me through the menu and she finally said i'm just going to make you something special. Asada, plantains, rice and beans, salad, pico de gallo. Just fantastic! come hungry and enjoy! read more

Mely’s Restaurant - Asada plantains lunch special - Salvadoran Near Me - Pasadena, California

I really didn't want to rate this place 2 stars bc this place has potential. As a Salvadorian, I was really hoping this spot would be it, since the best spots are in LA / K-town. The vibes were not it - the owner looked upset and was not friendly at all. Her Flamenco night was cancelled but regardless she made 0 effort to connect with us. I really don't understand the high ratings. I believe they had family there and they were also staring in an odd manner at us. The arroz pupusas were undercooked. If I'm going to be received this way, I'd rather make the drive ‍ and get some bomb food. If the food was up to par, maybe I'd disregard the weird vibes. read more

Everything was mid except the beans and aguas frescas. The beans were amazing and the aguas frescas were really refreshing. The carne asada plate lacked flavor, the pupusas had too much tortilla. I felt like I had to add a lot of salt, pepper and salsas and lime to everything. I didn't hate anything but I can't remember how anything taste because there wasn't much flavor. If you're looking for authentic flavorful Salvadoran, this isn't it but sweet people! read more

Mely’s Restaurant - Carne asada plate and pupusas - Salvadoran Near Me - Pasadena, California