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Categories: Juice Bars & Smoothies, Breakfast & Brunch
Neighborhoods: Near West Side, West Loop, GreektownUIC-Halsted (Blue)
Mon-Sun. 6:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
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Banana Carmel Pancakes! Buttermilk pancakes drizzled in Ghiadelli's Carmel sauce with banana baked into your pancake...fresh whipped cream and bananas over the top with walnuts sprinkled over the pancakes. Absolutely divine! I loved it.
The coffee was fresh and absolutely delicious, my boyfriend loved it.
My boyfriend enjoyed the ham & swiss panini, great that they have lunch choices as well, but if you go, go to eat breakfast!
Also we went at 2:30 p.m. on a Sunday and had no wait!
I will go back, fantastic experience and uh-mazing food! I want to try the smoothies and every single thing on the menu next time ;)
I don't actively dislike Meli, but it's not my favorite.
First of all, I want to say that I've always gotten good food here and everyone I've been with has seemed to enjoy theirs, too. I've been here for brunch before and went to lunch today. Both times I got breakfast food. My knock isn't at all on the food, but it's sort of just the worst of the Chicago brunch experience.
1) The food is good, but doesn't merit the prices. It's a bad value.
2) It's a bit too crowded. They seem like they've just wedged a couple too many tables in there.
3) The wait at prime times (especially Sunday morning) is atrocious. Again, are you really going to wait an hour for an $11.00 omelet?
4) Today my spoon was dirty and I had to ask for a new one. Not a dealbreaker, but hardly a plus.
The service was pretty good both times. I wouldn't actively wave anyone off this place, but it doesn't live up to the hype. There are plenty of other places I'd rather go. That said, GF loves the place, but she can write her own review.
I've been to Meli's a number of times in the past year, and have to say its one of my favorite brunch spots. You will wait anywhere from 15 to 39 minutes on the weekend for a table, but its well worth it. The menu is diverse and they offer some unique specials every week. They serve lavazza coffee which is reason enough for me to eat here. The waitresses are very pretty, and offer great service. I've ordered the steak skillet which is really good. I felt the eggs benedict was a bit too tangy for my liking, but still tasty. My girlfriend will order a freshly made fruit smoothie..and a veggie omelet that she just loves. They also offer a jalapeno jam that is fantastic on toast. Your dish will most likely come with a nice fresh piece of fruit.
I highly recommend Meli for a weekend brunch.
Are you kidding me? I thought I had already reviewed this place!
Basically, I love this place to death! Their juices are super fresh, super tasty. Their homemade jams and granola are also really really good. To top it all off, their food is delish! The prices were a little more than what I'm used to paying for brunch, but their portions are HUGE!
I always leave here stuffed, yet wanting to come back for more. In each of my experiences, the lines had been out the door, yet we were either seated right away or only had to wait maybe 10 minutes before being seated. The tables are pretty tightly packed, but that just means you can peak over at what your neighbors ordered to help you decide what looks good on the menu =P
I've only ever tried their breakfast food, but this is what Meli's is known for! You wouldn't go to a brazilian steakhouse and order salad, so don't come here and get a sandwich (although I hear their sandwiches are very good)!!
I recommend any of their platters (nummy cheesy oozy goodness), and their specials are always good as well.
I highly highly recommend Meli's. However, if you want would like to come here for a weekend brunch, I suggest not being in a rush as the lines here can get a little long (but that's further proof of this place's awesome-ness).
Love it!
And yet another breakfast joint I wouldn't dare visiting during the weekend in fear of a several hour wait...
The fab 4 (myself, colleen c, johnny t and jelena z) waited for about 10 minutes on a Friday afternoon so imagine how busy they get on Saturdays/Sundays. Yikes!
I found the menu to be a bit overwhelming, but finally decided on the whole grain pancakes. Pancakes yet healthy...kinda. And just minutes after our coffee had been poured....our food arrived from the kitchen. Wow, if they are this fast I may give it a try on the weekend.
My pancakes were uh-mazing and the fruit/whip cream proved to be the perfect topping. Other seemed to enjoy their orders as well, except for Jelena who mentioned she wouldn't order her healthy wrap next time. Noted- "healthy' multi-grain pancakes are the way to go.
Oh, and if you're feeling extra adventurous order a smoothie because I was quite jealous of Johnny's. Maybe next time. ;)
When I look for a great breakfast place, a line out front waiting to get a table is always a great sign. Meli is that type of place.
Located in Greektown, Meli is a bright and cute breakfast cafe and juice bar. They have a great variety of classic breakfast favorites and some items with a new twist.
During my most recent visit I had the Fig omelet, with Pancetta, onions and tomatoes. It was amazing. The sweetness of the figs with the fresh eggs and pancetta was absolutely divine. The hash browns were some of the most flavorful I've ever had. I would like some more crispy bits of brown on them, but you can't beat the flavor. The honey butter and jam of the day, quince the day I was there, are that extra little touch that gives Meli 5 stars.
This place is a breakfast staple that I'll visit every time I'm in Chicago.
Mmm. Breakfast of champions.
My friend aka fellow foodie, came into Chicago from Ann Arbor, and off we went, in search of a good breakfast place. As we both arrived at Union Station, and I didn't want to walk that far, we chose Meli Cafe, less than a mile away from Union Station.
We arrived around 11am, and was seated right away. My fellow foodie got a coffee (which she stated was good), and I got one of the blended fruit drinks- since they're so famous for it. I got the orange-banana-strawberry-honey drink, and it was GOOD, but.... for $5 for the size of it? I was hoping it would be bigger.
However, the FOOD portions were GIGANTIC. My fellow foodie got the pancetta omelet which was GIGANTIC, plus potatoes, cantaloupe, and toast. I got the Lox Benedict which came with 2 of the benedicts, and man, that salmon was good. Mine also had potatoes and cantaloupe.. there was no possible way I could finish it.
I like REALLY UNIQUE places, and this place hit the spot. The service was good and the food came out quite fast- which surprised me. The bathroom.. was strange. Very large stall, very awkward spacing, and what my fellow foodie called a "very small sink." haha.
Either way, this place is good if you're REALLY HUNGRY and want a quality fresh breakfast. Mmm. Yum.
This is one of the few new and tasty breakfast/brunch places I have attended in quite some time. There was a line but I had to wait about 15 or 20 minutes outside with a buzzer thing. I was fortunate to be seated in a corner right by the window. The atmosphere was nice although the other patrons were somewhat loud.
I had the jalapeno sizzler (potatoes, chorizo, jalapenos, avocado, tomatoes, pepper jack cheese (I omitted the cilantro and onions). It was fairly tasty and it came with a side order of toast- I had the English muffin. There were also house made jams which were good but not terrific. My friend was happy with his spinach and feta scrambler. We both had cokes with our meals. The cokes were those little glass bottles and they do not list the price for sodas on the menu. The waitress was obviously trying to push the drinks as they are all overpriced .
Our waitress was friendly and attentive. Also the bathroom was clean and immaculate which is always a good sign. However I felt the prices were a bit high ($34 for 2 breakfasts with soda including tax and tip). I would give it another star if it was a better value.
I loved The food and the Milk shakes. The Vanilla milk shake was the best i ever had. And the latin omlette was AMAZING. This place is expensive but for me worth it. Expect to pay 10-15 dollars for a big omlette. But this was quite an experience. The staff was very friendly, and i did not feel rushed
Meli, Meli, Meli, I've got food in mah bel-ly... Yu-ummhy!! This place is awesome. Each time I have been, I am more impressed than the last. First things first: you will wait. It may be a benign 10 minute wait. It may be a "hide the knives" 30 minute wait. It will be worth it. I promise. I've never been here with a huge group. Huge groups tend to be a bit more problematic when it comes to quick seating. My suggestion: don't come here right at breakfast time (come a little after), put on some sunglasses, ask for a table for one and pretend you don't know them. The food is good enough to risk friendships. If they're real friends, they'll understand. They might have even done the same to you!
I have had both eggs and pancakes at Meli. The menu is quite large and the selection is rather overwhelming. Give yourself time to make an intelligent decision. Breakfast (even at 2 pm; holla!) is the most important meal of the day. Don't rush into a foolhardy decision. Plus side for the eggs: extremely filling, made to order, skillets are huge and full of ingredients, accompanying toast comes with a selection of homemade marmalades & jams, fresh fruit (I was stunned by how good my cantaloupe was; aren't they out of season now?), and yu-ummhmy. Plus side for the pancakes: HUGE, extremely filling, great, interesting combinations and flavors, whipped cream, fresh toppings, homemade syrup (well, you know what I mean), fluffy, and yu-ummhmy. I haven't had the waffles or sandwiches, but I can't imagine them being bad. Actually, I can't imagine coming here and not ordering breakfast. Hold the phone; I am issuing a fiat: ORDER BREAKFAST FOOD HERE. All will be well.
Here's some more advice: get the smoothie. Each time I am here, I tell myself that I am going to order a juice blend/combo thingie. Each time I order a smoothie. Each time I am the belle of the ball. The smoothies cost almost as much as the juice, but they're more substantial, come in great flavors and some have whipped cream in them. Yes, I said "in them." SO good. Plus, with every sip, you know that you're drinking the best beverage at the table. And that feels good, don't it? Yeah, it does.
I have never left here without rubbing my dead-sexy belly and being pleased at the amount of food I have just ingested. I have never left here without a great service experience. I have never left here without thinking about how soon I am coming back. These are all benchmarks of a superior breakfast spot. I am a fan and this is as good as it gets.
My mom and I went to Meli Cafe this past weekend and had a very leisurely and pleasant brunch. The wait was not awful but still considerable given a Saturday at 11:00 a.m. We waited about 45 minutes, but didn't mind since it was unseasonably warm out.
We had the cutest waitress ever, who so professionally explained the brunch specials along with their well-known homemade jams. These were truly spectacular-strawberry and jalapeno orange marmalade, and went very well with the freshly churned whipped butter. The only con that I would give is the overselling of the marmalade-it took us about 5 no's and a promise to come back when asked to purchase take-home jars, for her to finally accept defeat.
I had the Veggie Frittatta and my mom had the Fresh Omelette which had Bacon, Artichokes, spinach, dill havarti, mushrooms etc...I had a bite of hers which was very good with the rosemary potatoes. I am by no means a vegetarian (I have a well-known meat tooth) and was thoroughly impressed with this dish. I felt satisfied but not overly stuffed--SIDE NOTE: I chose this dish since I had a meat overload the night before feeling as bloated as a Biggest Loser Contestant.) We did order a side of hollandaise which accompanied both our omelette/fritta meals very well-just slightly tangy and enough cream to make the vegetarian dishes not so healthy.
The cappuccino and iced coffee we ordered was strong and very refreshing-perfect for a sunny fall day. I definitely would come back to try the fresh squeezed fruit juices. It is, however, a bit pricey for breakfast omelettes-I left there with $50 with tax and tip included.
This is my favorite place in Chicago. My cousins introduced me to this place. There is a long wait, but like the last reviewer, its worth it.
My cousins ordered french toast, pancakes, and an denver omlette. Both are delicious. I think their omlettes are cooked to perfection.
My only complaint is the wait and that its super crowded on the weekend. But Overall, this is my favorite breakfast place. I would come here on a date or to meet with friends.
Can I please give this place two snaps in a Z formation?! I LOVED everything about Meli!
For the past year, I'd heard and read great things about Meli, but for some reason it kept falling off my radar of places to have breakfast. Probably because in my mind, it's hard to beat Yolk. However, this week my co-worker told me that it was fabulous and that I should try it, so finally I did - and now it's reigning as my favorite breakfast place in the city.
Although it's in the heart of Greektown, the area doesn't influence the ambiance whatsoever. You walk in and it's like a cozy french country cafe with yellow walls and comfortable tables. We went on the earlier side, 8:30am, so there wasn't a wait, but it wasn't dead either. Sure enough 15 minutes later, there was a line out the door.
We sat down and looked through the extensive (no joke HUGE) menu with tons of breakfast options...everything from french toast made with Challah bread, duck omelets, skillets, frittatas and much more. I went with a breakfast usual - Corned Beef Hash and Eggs, while my husband ordered the Pancakes. When the food came we were surprised at how large the portions were, especially for the low cost of everything. My meal came with eggs, toast, corned beef, red potatoes and fruit...everything was so delish, especially their homemade marmalades. However, the real deciding factor was my husband's pancakes since he really is the connoisseur and sure enough he gave them a thumbs up - enough to say that he prefers Meli's pancakes over Yolk's which says A LOT.
Overall, this place was amazing and to Yolk I have to apologize, I think Meli's will be our new breakfast place we frequent every weekend.
A hip breakfast/brunch spot in Greek Town which will mean you may have a long wait but come on now, it's worth the wait, would you rather still be going to Zorba's? haha.
I've only eaten breakfast here and every time it's been delicious. However the last time I was there it struck me as odd that a side order of bacon was more expensive than the eggs I ordered.
Either way - this is a great place for breakfast if you're in the area. Just don't expect Golden Nugget prices.
This is one of my absolute favorite breakfast places in the city. I love how their menu really does cater to healthier choices. Be prepared to wait in line, as they do not take reservations. I have yet to try one of their freshly squeezed juices.
I've eaten at Meli about once a week for nearly two years. Not once have I been disappointed. The food is just top notch. The service is fast and efficient.
If you get there at around 11:30am on a week day you'll miss the rush and won't have to wait. The daily specials are always worth checking out. But you can't really go wrong - there's nothing on the menu I know of that you should stay away from. For a few months last year I just let the server pick something for me. But now I almost exclusively order off the specials menu.
I love the breakfast here! I just went this weekend and the place was very cute inside. The bathroom was semi odd with one stall, small sink, but spacing was weird. The place was pretty full but there was no line during Friday noon.
I loved the butter here along with the different jams for toast. The menu was huge and I would like to come back for lunch...but the breakfast menu was great. Most of the food were between $12-15 and they had great specials going on. We ended up getting 2 of the specials. I got the Pancetta omelet and though I am normally not a fan of goat cheese it was creamy and amazing with the omelet. I managed to eat the entire plate along with the potatoes (which were seasoned and a bit spicy..great combination that brings flavor to your breakfast). The portions are huge and you could easily stuff 3 people with 2 breakfast orders. There was also fruit (cantaloupe) included with the meal and the toast. I got the plain coffee which was very good!!! Normally I am pretty picky or just don't expect much from plain coffee but this place was great.
Rach got the Lox benedict which she didn't finish but def attempted to eat a lot of it. It had salmon and was just huge. She got some kind of drink too...the top of the drink menu drinks are pretty small portion wise but the bottom can be split? It looked like a regular fruit smoothie with honey on the bottom. Not sure if it was worth it.
The service was great and the waitress was nice, helpful, and pretty funny. The atmosphere was great and even though people are seated closely, it was pleasent and very enjoyable. This is probably my favorite breakfast place!
The french toasts looked amazinggggg...the table next to us got that and basically cleaned off the plate (not sure if it involved licking it..since it was just that clean...)
A co worker took me here after finding out I was Greek, being new to Chicago I appreciated having some Greekness around me, she recommended Meli. The juice bar is superb, and the food was pretty good. Back home there are not that many Greek authentic places and it was nice that there is a Greektown here for me to visit when I miss Greek food. I had lunch and it was great. Breakfast seems to be the favorite but lunch is just as good. Definitely get something from the juice bar.
There are restaurants that serve de facto brunch, to folks who happen to order pancakes at 11 a.m., and then there are restaurants that DO brunch, the direct descendants of those trendy spots that invented quiche eggs benedict, and the term "brunch" itself. Meli is one of these.
We went here on a Sunday morning and had a wait of about 30 minutes--maybe a little shorter (we arrived about 10 a.m.). The entry way is VERY tight--you want to wait outside if you can (as in, if you like breathing), so I'm not sure how that goes in the winter (actually I am sure: people line up, stamp their feet, blow on their hands, and wait).
The name of the restaurant (Meli="honey" in Greek) is the only nod to Greektown (all the surrounding restaurants have Athens or Acropolis in the name, and feature signs with giant, glowing spits of lamb). Inside, the atmosphere is totally different.
It's remarkably bright, cheerful and calm for how crowded it is, but the staff is definitely in high efficiency mode. They refuse to seat incomplete parties, and though we were all there, our hostess took off to show us our table before all 4 of us had even wrestled our way through the door.
The menu is HUGE and tempting, with 10-15 daily specials in addition to the extensive list of omelets, frittatas, pancakes, French toast, skillets, waffles, crepes....and on and on and on.
I was worried the server would really rush us to order, but she didn't--got us our coffee and smoothies and let us ponder for a minute.
We tried the praline creme brulee French Toast (turned out to be almost too rich to eat, according to the eater), the jalapeno skillet, and the peppadew omelet (peppers, onions, Swiss cheese, and jerk chicken).
The food came out in record time, which had me wondering: the omelets are the baked puffy kind, and those take awhile--I remain skeptical that mine was cooked just for me, after my order was taken. I'm not really sure why this even bothers me...I didn't have any special requests (one of our party did, and they were accommodated), and the omelet was tasty and freshly made--not like it had been sitting under a lamp or something.
My guess is that they were anticipating orders of this special and maybe had them going all the time....? Something about it just seemed odd.
The watermelon garnish was delightful, as was the homemade berry jam. The roasted potatoes were nothing to write home about (a little mushy and nothing special going on with the seasoning). The omelet was FANTASTIC, and gave me two full meals.
Speaking of which: I'm not sure if they do all their cooking with heavy cream, or some other kind of super-rich ingredient, but NONE of us got very far in our meal. We came in starving, and we're good eaters. The portions were generous, but no more so than other brunches where I've wolfed down everything. All four of us filled up REALLY quickly. The leftovers reheated well later, so that was all fine...I was just surprised.
Hope to make it back some time soon to try something different--maybe the fig omelet!
This place is so overrated. Their breakfast/brunch items are not even that outstanding, and you can see a line forming outside, people willing to wait over an hour. Coralita and Patty are both extremely rude (and can't do simple mathematical calculations), and have no ounce of customer service whatsoever. Fix the attitude - you guys aren't that cool. Their skillets suck, and people should head on over to Sam & George's if they want the real deal. Their pancakes were 'okay,' but slathering it with whipped cream and all the toppings makes them extremely soggy, resulting in an unappetizing dish. The servers here are so aloof, and ours was MIA during our whole 'dining' experience. HELLO.
This place was packed on a Sunday. However, we were given a beeper when we checked in, and they… Read more »
I love Meli for their breakfast food! This place is a great brunch place. Because this place is so good, there is almost a wait everytime we've gone on the weekend (even earlier at 9:30!). It's one of the few places that I think is worth the wait. (However I don't recommend waiting when it is cold outside because there isn't a lot of waiting space and people are forced outside). If I can, I like to sneak over during the week to get breakfast for lunch.
The service is good. They are pretty quick, but I don't feel rushed. Sometimes it takes a while to get the check, but that is just because they are so busy. Meli also has a very cute cafe type feel to it and is good for brunches. The one downside is that we asked if it was BYOB and were told no. :-( But with this food, it's worth holding the Mimosas.
Almost every time I go, I get the Eggs Benedict. It is amazing! I also like the perfectly cooked breakfast potatoes - crispy but not too crispy. Plus, there menu is very extensive and takes me forever to look over (probably why I tend to stick to my usual). I've been here multiple times and have always had a good experience - and that is something that boosts this to 5 stars. [Unfortunately almost TOO many people know about this gem because I swear the waits get longer... ::sigh:: I suppose I really need to go for breakfast and not brunch.]
My new favorite "anytime" place to eat!
I was here for a mid-week lunch and I took longer than usual selecting what I wanted to eat. EVERYTHING looked and sounded amazing. I ordered a sandwich and my friend ordered an omelette. All-day breakfast served, btw. And the juice...ahhhh, to die for!!! I got the mango, orange, kiwi one...yummmy!
There's nothing bad I can say about this place other than wait to get seated...but definitely worth it!
I really want to give Meli 4 or maybe even 5 stars. Let me state why I cannot first:
*Service Service Service.
It's horrible. Honestly, it's pathetic.
Thats the only reason for a lesser rating
the FOOD is fantastic...
My favorites:
Paninis
French Toast
SMoothies
Monte Cristo Sandwhich
My advice- do takeout and save yourself from the ill service. When they improve their service, i'll improve my rating.
This is one of the best breakfast restaurants in the city hands down! First off, be prepared to wait in a long line in the morning. I've come here twice now and both times I've had to wait about 30 minutes to get a table for 4. Its definitely worth the wait!
Both times I've had one of their omelette dishes and have been fully satisfied! They have a wide variety of different dishes with the whole range of breakfast foods to choose from. The dishes are usually very big! The omelette dishes come with hash browns (sprinkles with parsley, yum!) and some fresh fruit! They have freshly squeezed fruit juice with a wide variety to choose from. They also serve LaVazza coffee which is a great plus! Both times I came here it was after a night of heavy partying and I must say, the meals I had helped my recovering body!!!
Prices are reasonable, staff is very nice and the setting is very nice! I would highly recommend this place for an extremely satisfying breakfast in the west loop!
Had to find a decent place for breakfast with my little brothers who live near UIC, so I decided on Meli Cafe since I'd had a great solo dining experience here once before. Very cute little cafe right smack in Greektown with ample street parking (don't forget to pay the damn box!).
Time to grade our breakfast....
-service...A-attentive, sincerely friendly, not too intrusive
-food...A-organic eggs, honey whipped butter!!!, berry marmalade (they also sell jars of this sugary goodness for $6), skillets & crepes galore on the menu!!
-decor-A-clean, homey, comfortable
Tip: TIme to go back to basics...SHARE!! Portions are big here, so be ready to doggy bag it!
Awesome place. I had the bear omelette (with "bear meat") one of their blended juice. It was a great experience!
My sister had the orange brule french toast and said it was too sweet but I thought it was ok.
I also didn't have to wait in line. It's a clean place. The menu looks good and the price is ok.
On my to-do list for my Chicago stay was of course breakfast! After reading some reviews on Yelp, I decided to come here and it was a great choice.
I ordered a mango, orange, kiwi and honey juice blend. It came in a tall glass, slightly cold but closer to room temperature and you could taste that it was freshly squeezed. I also had a cafe mocha with soy milk. They use LaVazza coffee, which I was excited to try, but the soy milk was overpowering. Too bad.
They have an extensive breakfast menu with pages of omelettes, scrambles, french toast, pancakes and crepes. There's sure to be something for everyone. I decided to go simple. The server was a bit disappointed especially after she saw me taking some pictures. She said they have so many creative items that are much more interesting. But I enjoyed what I had: over easy eggs with rye toast (you need to ask for it more toasted if you like it that way), bacon and potatoes. The potatoes were the stand-out. They came cubed, nicely seasoned and dusted with parsley. You also get small condiment bowls of their whipped butter and homemade marmalades. It was blueberry and mixed fruit for my meal. I don't usually like using any kind of fruit spread, but I did at least want to try them. The blueberry was awesome!
The portion is huge (check out my photos). The service was very good. I came on a late weekday morning and didn't have to wait. Wish I could have made it back before leaving the city.
It's packed and on the weekend, you'll likely wait a half hour for a table. Is it worth the wait? Yeah!
I ordered the corned beef panini. It was delicious. It came with this mayo spread, I think it was mayo and ketchup. So simple yet so tasty. The bread was actually naan, and I adore naan. It came with a side and I chose pasta salad. My friends all loved the pasta salad. I'm generally not into sides except veggie salads, so I didn't eat much of the pasta. I did steal a bunch of fries from my friend, and they were great. I'm not normally into fries, but these were one of the few that I tasted that made me want more.
I looked around and saw dish after dish that made my mouth water. I'll definitely return and withstand the wait so I can try more.
Our server was a little frazzled, but I can't really blame her. It was a packed house and they bring out the food remarkably fast.
I dined at Meli Cafe for a weekday breakfast meetup and was fairly impressed with the food and received good service. I was a little nervous about the service, since it seems others have been less than happy with it. But I think the fact that we were there during the week and there wasn't a full restaurant, helped tremendously. We were seated immediately and given a choice of tables. The regular coffee and the mocha (big plus that they have soymilk available!) were both excellent. I ordered the gruyere omelet and we shared a short stack of the buttermilk pancakes. Both were delicious. The omelet was huge, fluffy and they didn't scrimp on the ingredients. Excellent flavor too. The omelet was served with potatoes, which were great, but I didn't have the room left to really eat them anyway. The pancakes are served with some special kind of syrup that was really yummy and the pancakes were light and fluffy. We weren't rushed and really enjoyed the whole dining experience and food here.
I may have finally found my favorite brunch spot. I've been looking and looking for that "go to" place and Meli Cafe hit on all cylinders the other morning.
We got there around noon on a Sunday. The wait was about 20 minutes and so we took our "buzzer" and went to stand on the sidewalk to enjoy the great weather (this could be a detriment in the Winter months!)
After about 20 minutes our seats were ready and we were led into a very warm and comfortable space. We were close together to the other tables but not uncomfortably so. What I liked about the decor was that it verged on being a bit country which was refreshing given so many brunch spots are going for the stark, utilitarian look with stainless and plastic.
The menu is extensive. They have specialty Skillet dishes, all kinds of eggs, french toast, hotcakes, you name it. I wanted my favorite, Eggs Benedict but I also wanted to try some of their hot cakes. My friend solved the problem for me as he ordered a small side portion along with his egg skillet.
For as busy as they were- the food came up quickly and was just as good as our server said it would be. I love when servers praise the food where they work- after all- what's the point of working at a place where you don't love the food? And as for us? We loved everything we ordered. So much so that one in our group went back for breakfast the next day to do it all over again.
Street parking is rarely a problem (bring quarters, the new meters are here as well) but if you can't find it, there is a lot just north on Halsted that will run you around $6.
Brunch in Chicago. It's one of my favorite things to do. And now, thanks to Meli Cafe, I have a new favorite place to do it in.
Worth the wait....
I live around the block from Meli Cafe, and as much as a miss the late nite/cheap eats diner, Zorba's, that used to be there, I'm more than happy with its replacement.
Despite the long lines (heads up: Sunday's post church crowd flocks there, so GO EARLY!!!), I love this breakfast and lunch spot! The smoothies are super fresh and delicious (but $5 is a little pricey though, in my opinion). Food-wise, I usually go with one of their Eggs Benedict varieties for breakfast, they have about 8 on the menu~ VARIETY IS NOT LACKING!
Side note- the french fries ARE TO DIE FOR.... they were super crisp and perfectly splashed with spices.... salt pepper i don't know exactly, but they were soooo good.
I've seen reviews on bad service, I haven't had a bad experience there so I can't comment on that topic, but seeing how busy it gets I can see how one may misconstrue rudeness for being overstressed. And a lot of the wait staff has thick accents (foreign girls)-- maybe lost in translation issues?!
They do abide by the "complete party rule"- can't be seated until your whole party gets there.... if you know that ahead of time, no need to be shocked by it!
OVERALL, 4 stars, always room for improvement (no one's perfect!), but I love this place, good breakfast, good lunch, good times!
... what everyone else said ...
i believe i entered this establishment sometime in 2008. i was meeting a friend so that we can "catch up". i think i was off this day so i rode on over to this quaint little joint. Easy to find right on Halsted St.
my memory of this place is very vague. nice decor. service was pretty good. i barely remember the menu. i ate an omelet as we discussed many topics. price was ok. i paid the bill and we parted ways. i saw my friend whiz by on his bike as i exited. i caught up to him and then went about my day. i haven't gone back but id definitely recommend it for a bite to eat in the AM.
this is my first review in like 2 months. sorry, i'm a little rusty. ;)
So how'd I go from 5 stars to 2...??
Well, the last time I came.. I came with a mission: to prove to my mom that there was a good place for breakfast in the City. And up to that day, I had been a regular at Meli. One week, I had been here three days in a row. I made a habit of grabbing lunch here and coming on the weekends with my husband/friends. But... it's not like anyone at Meli noticed since I was treated like trash on my last visit.
My mom was running a little late but there's always a long wait time so it didn't matter. My husband went ahead of me to put our name on the list while I waited for my mother.
Once we were there, I had to apologize to my mom about the wait and the crowd.. things like 'it's always like this' and 'the food is worth it' were coming out of my mouth. She seemed okay at first, she noticed there were a lot of couples there and we were a party of 5.. so she understood that a small place like this would take a while to seat us. Then an obnoxious group of 6 in their early 20's came in and made the wait unbearable. They were loud and I got the impression they had been partying since the night before.
So.. our 35 minute wait had come up and we were still waiting. I went up to see how much longer it'd be and they said another 15 minutes. So I sat back down and we watched as a group of 14 was called. Only 6 people were there, the party was incomplete and although they claim to NOT sit incomplete parties (Oh yes, they've forced me to wait again while my husband was trying to find parking once and we were an incomplete party).... they sat the 6 and we watched as it took another 20 minutes for the entire party to come in. I was livid, felt a little betrayed by their obvious exception here. Then when I noticed it had already been an hour wait, I got up and asked again what was going on, they said we were 5 and they just couldn't sit us anywhere yet since most tables are for 2 or 4... but they'd sit us ASAP.
Another 5 minutes went by and I saw all the employees running around to a clear 3 2-seat tables and I saw them put them together.. I thought FINALLY! OUR TABLE!! But I can't even begin to tell you how mad I was that it went to the obnoxious 6-people group that had come in at least 20 minutes after us. And I am forgetting to mention that EVERY single group/person that was waiting for a table had already been seated. We were the absolute last people waiting for a table. All the groups of 4 had been seated at a table for 4, etc.. and we were not because we were 5, as explained previously by the manager.
SO I was ready to leave, I had wasted over an hour and I just didn't want to deal with this bs anymore. I felt like they had been racist.. how a group of Mexicans weren't seated but everyone else had (all whites) and this is just how I normally assume situations like this. I mean, there's a reason we're not worthy.. and I can't imagine what else it could be. My mother calms me down, tells me it can't be that much longer and we already invested enough time. The manager probably overheard me and finally sits us..... AT A TABLE FOR FOUR! They could have done that when we first got there and a table of four was ready.. but no, they sat at least a dozen groups of 4 and made us wait.
And to top it off, the waitress was such a [curse word here]. It seemed like it bothered her that she had to take our order. When my sister and brother asked for drinks, it's as if they asked her to donate her kidneys to them. And she tried to force a plate in front of me while I was on a call and I asked for it to be placed at the end of the table.. and what does she do? She shoved it in front of me and got chocolate on my arm. I grabbed the plate and threw it to the end of the table. Since she obviously doesn't understand English, I wanted to SHOW her what I meant.
This was, by far, the worst experience at Meli I ever had... I felt sooo embarrassed bringing my mom here and having to see all this. I can never look at them the same. I have not gone back for anything and have no real desire to anymore. Regardless of the fact that we love their food, we were treated so wrong and I just can't imagine giving them any more of my patronage.
I wanted to give them a 3 but just couldn't do it. A 2 is better.. if you do not care about being disrespected while dining, and you focus just on the food itself.. you'll love Meli.
This place blew my mind from the first bite.. I came THREE days in a row after that!!
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They have the best skillets ever! I really love coming here...the only downsides are the short hours, long waits, and lack of parking. But the food is 5 stars hands down...it seems a little pricey for breakfast, but the quality speaks for itself!
Delicious sweet brunch options. Pretty interior. Great location. Very crowded on the weekends -- be prepared to wait it out!
Some staff acted needlessly rude and irritated. Our waitress was sweet though. Overall, pretty good.
Word to the wise, if you want to get a table, come early! I met up with a couple of friends at 11am and there was already quite a line. Luckily we only had to wait about 5-10 minutes before we were seated. Meli offers a ton of options, so many options that I was completely overwhelmed, everything looked delicious! I only wish that they had a sampler patter. I finally decided on the zuchinni french toast - they pretty much take zuchinni bread, lightly batter it and serve it to you nice and warm with fresh whipped cream and berries. Wow I am salivating just thinking about it again. It was delicious, plus did i mention it was real whipped cream? The coffee is strong and they make sure to keep your cup filled here!
Did I mention that our food came out super fast? That is always a plus for me! I would take another trip to Greek town for Meli anytime!
C'mon people! The place serves breakfast at all times how can that be bad? The only knock on the place (and I will be the first to admit it is unfair) is the wait. I am not sure how long it is on their busier times but we went on a weekday in the middle of the day and we had to wait 10 minutes. (Hey it was a hot day so stop judging!) Also that they have one of those shiny radio frequency things that vibrate and shine is not a good thing.
The service was excellent. Despite being extremely busy at no point did we feel neglected. They also did the courtesy of staying out of the way.
The food was fresh, tasty and you get a generous portion. I had their Meli chicken sandwich which was memorable. I will return but with an even number of friends because the odd number played a part in making our wait longer.
Finally -what's with "we only accept two credit cards?" You lose a star for that!
i'm such a sucker for fancy breakfasts spots.... and i have been here on the weekends and waited...i LOVE to go when my schedule allows for a friday morning or thursday morning... no wait, awesome food... good coffee... le sigh.....
a few times i have been here, my friend i have have ordered something that looked delic to the both of us then split it and that works out really well and you don't feel like a huge pig! last time we did one of their special french toasts.. i believe it was an orange brulee kinda deal and we also go with the Gouda omlette that has avocado, bacon and gouda in it ( no tomatoes please.. they are evil) ....... sweet jesus .....it's a good place to eat.
it's all good.
Brunch to die for.
If you arrive on Sunday after 9:00AM, you should expect to wait to be seated, but it is one of those places where the wait is completely justified. This is one of the very best brunch places in the city. Living in the area, I am very familiar with places in the vicinity and this outshines them all in breakfast selections. You will find the selections varied, high quality, and relatively moderately priced for what you get. This is a destination location for Sunday brunch.
I just returned from having their classic eggs Benedict and I found it completely satisfying. My dining partner had the caramel pancakes and they were excellent as well. In past visits, I have tried out their omelets, crepes, french toast and conventional eggs. Never have I been disappointed. Their portions tend to be large and, for the ungry among us, satisfying. For the more healthy minded, they have some outstanding healthy selections, too.
If you are living here, visiting here, or just passing through looking for a good breakfast or lunch, you cannot go wrong. I have also brought business associates here during the week for lunch and they loved it. The salad selection is among the best.
I'm hooked and will keep coming back again and again. (This is truly one of those places I am almost reluctant to post about since it will only make the crowds bigger.)
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