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My diner standards aren't very high.
If they are open late, serve hash browns, and refill my coffee quickly, I'm sold.
On these fronts, Melrose delivers.
As an added bonus, their chocolate milkshake is to die for.
Melrose is the place to be for all of your late night, I don't care what I eat as long as there's grease experiences.
This place has some good things on the menu, mostly not that great things on the menu. But it's a diner, right? It has diner food! It can make up for all that mediocre food in good atmosphere. Except, the atmosphere is terrible. The waitresses are miserable. Not in a sassy "It's a diner, there will be grumpy waitresses" way that's kind of fun, either. They're just kind of nasty and inattentive.
I have a friend who loves to go here (for some reason) after a night out, even though the Oregon diner is not too much farther south, and I have never enjoyed it, really. It's just not worth the trip.
Melrose Diner has decent food at a fair price. It's typical diner fare and nothing to write home about, but it isn't bad. I didn't care for their banana creme pie, but I've had a lot of other stuff here that was OK. The staff is nice. I always come with my baby and they're always accomodating.
Four years ago I was looking out of Melrose's window at around 3 am and saw a guy put a gun to another guy's head in the middle of the street and lead him down a shadowy alley. I hope he survived. But that's neither here nor there. I of course called the police.
They get an extra star because it used to be my wife's grandfather's all-time favorite restaurant.
They lose a star because the diner smells like pee.
When you think of the Liberty Bell, Rocky, Eagles, Phillies & Flyers, You need to Think about going to "The Melrose". A South Philly institution! A real American Diner. Go there for Breakfast before you tailgate at the Eagles Game! Not like the boxed potatoes you have at OTHER DINERS, The Melrose has REAL shredded potatoes, Fresh eggs, Great Coffee and Fantastic SCRAPPLE! What? You're from out of state visiting and don't know what SCRAPPLE IS? Yo, take it from me, order the Scrapple (A PHILLY STAPLE ALONG WITH CHEESESTEAKS & SOFT PRETZELS), But NEVER ask what's in it. You'll be a fan! After Breakfast stroll down to 9th street and stroll through the Italian Village! Enjoy!
The service was friendly, quick and I enjoyed the music and general atmosphere. My coffee and french onion soup were both tasty and enjoyable. I also enjoyed my chicken salad triple decker club, although I think I was actually enjoying the nature of the triple decker and not Melrose's. I'd imagine the chicken salad on it's own would be pretty sub par, which my friend dan found out the hard way. Normally when I go to Diner's the fries are crispy, delicious, and golden, but not Melrose's. Melrose's fries were accordion style fries that looked like they had never been anywhere near an oven.
I can only speak for my late night experience. VERY VERY limited menu for a diner. The atmosphere and the service was good but they did not make up for the lack of food, both in terms of food quality and food variety. The burger was meak at best and the fries were cold. I'd rather head to the suburbs than go back here.
next time im in south philly ill just go to tony lukes
Ok the 5 stars is for the Buttercream cake. I grew up with these cakes and have not found a place anywhere that makes them. So if you happen to get to South Philly definitely pick up a buttercream cake.
People stop boosting this diner.mediocre service,mediocre food the best thing bout the diner is murals on the walls.
Ok, so I went here to see what Philadelphia "Scrapple" was. The 3 stars is for the pancakes that were good. I can't dock points from the diner for Scrapple, because it's not the diner's fault that SCRAPPLE IS THE MOST DISGUSTING THING EVER! It looks like a brick of poo that's been fried. It tastes like junk and just crumbles in your mouth and you just feel like you're eating straight grease and fat. BLECH!
The thing about Melrose is, along with most other diners, you gotta take it with a grain of salt. Once you've figured that out, there are a few surprises:
-The French toast: It's the bomb. Try it for yourself. You will not be disappointed.
-The turkey burger: Strangely delicious, and wait for it: homemade! I've been to restaurants of supposed better caliber, and been served frozen turkey burgers, so I was pleased.
The Melrose won't change your life. The service can be spotty at busier times. But it's a diner in the heart of South Philly, and the clientele is a great cross-section of the 'hood (which equals a great people-watching and eavesdropping experience, if you're so inclined).
Ahhhh the Melrose, you bring back memories of a more simple time. Sadly the simplicity only covers the look, and not the quality.
Fried Chicken is honestly GREAT and I'd get it more often if I couldn't get similar quality across the street for less money. I frequently just get the soup of the day, and it's good but usually too salty. I've had pretty much everything, so I'll just wrap this review up quickly. Average diner through and through. I honestly wouldn't go here if it wasn't a 60 second walk from where I live, but a lot of times convenience wins.
Problems:
They pour your water from the beverage tap, but refills are accomplished by using the pitcher that probably been at your table since the place opened.............really? can I trust that? melrose?
The staff is sometimes nice, most times doesn't care. Finally, when you check out, there is only one way out and it feels like a meat packing plant.
"Everybody who knows. goes. to Melrose.
Everybody who knows. goes. to Melrose.
Everybody who knows goes to the Melrose Diner Restaurant for the most. in. quality"
I can't go here without singing the jingle, which is almost worth it just for the nostalgia. This is a real old school diner through and through. The wait staff are mostly lifers, who take their time and their liberties to be friendly or not with you, and you just have to hope for the best. The food is diner food, and if you're expecting more go somewhere else. More often than not I'd say stick with breakfast or dessert.
just gotta say that i LOVE the yuppie swine who rate this diner low writing a review of the MELROSE DINER on Yelp. does it really need a review? 24-hour diner with decent food, decent service and decent people. what more do you fuckin want?
seriously, some people on here review it like it's a motherfucking Stephen Starr restaurant. get off your high horse and have an omelette.
It is a classic Philly institution but honestly - not the greates diner in the world. What really is interesting are the waitresses and regulars - some who have been coming here for 45 years. (And a few servers who have worked here that long.)
I had a classic parry melt and it WAS greasy and a dietary mess. Not sure if it was worth it as the food is really 2-3 stars at best.
Plus: it's very inexpensive. Great People watching.
For food - I prefer the Oregon Diner.
The service and food were always good every time. Last time I was here was after the Phillies won the World Series and people were roaming Broad Street. My boy and I were too hungry to wait to walk back to our place to eat so we stopped in. The diner wasn't too busy, the patrons only went into a Phillies cheer once while we were there. We just sat at the counter and ordered cheeseburgers. I had medium rare and he wanted medium well. I thought the burger tasted closer to medium well than rare but it was tasty nonetheless. It was a nice sized burger, too.
I've been here for breakfast, too. The food was fine, nothing to praise. We were sitting at the counter and there was a senior couple sitting across the way. The guy was super picky about his eggs and kept having it redone.
Only complaint was that when we received our plates we couldn't tell which was which, the server just placed them in front of us. I mean, we were able to figure it out but it's just a little annoying. No big deal.
The parking lot in front of the restaurant is a tight pain in the ass and the metered parking outside of the restaurant are on just about all the time. They don't turn off on Sunday.
I now know that the chicken fingers are safe to eat and reliably good, and I do love the proximity. I'm sorry, Melrose, we just had a little fight, and perhaps we can kiss and make up.
I live a short walk from the Melrose. As far as I can tell, proximity -- and the fact that they… Read more »
I've not had any knock-your-socks-off experiences at Melrose. All just normal diner food and normal diner service. Which is great, but nothing to write home about.
The separate check for each person thing is a little weird. I mean, I get it.. I guess. It frequently makes things easier on ME, but I don't know what it does for them. I speculate that the waitresses get bigger tips that way. Do they do that for families? Give a check to mom, one to dad, and one to the five year old kid?? I don't know.. whatever works.
Their hours of operation are a total luxury, which my drunken self can appreciate. Most diners aren't 24 hours anymore, which makes me sad.
The Melrose is decent, but not the greatest diner in the area. It's close and convenient to me, which is the main reason I've spent so much money there.
The bad:
The servers are sassy, but it's to be expected there. The area is a little dicey, but not too bad. It's a seat yourself place and don't even think about taking up both sides of a booth unless you've got at least 3 people.
The good:
They've got a takeout department and are really good about checking it for customers, even late at night. The chicken salad club is divine. The servers will not put up with you gabbing on the phone while taking your order. (FINALLY, A PLACE THAT STILL REMEMBERS CELL PHONE ETIQUETTE!) For all their sass, the servers are pretty polite and friendly. (Seriously, want to see horrible servers? Go to Oregon Diner and you will come back with a newfound love for the Melrose.)
It's a diner and while the food is decent, it's still a South Philly diner. Don't keep your expectations too terribly high and you will be all good.
I eat here from time to time when in south Philly. I usually stop in to pick up one of their excellent apple pies, which they are known for. Their food is typical diner food, nothing outstanding, just average(except for the apple pie).
This place has the nerve to have a divider in the middle of each booth---meaning if you are a party of two, you'll both be seated on the same side of the booth. And you may have 2 strangers opposite you, staring you in the face. Very awkward, and a shameless attempt at "maximizing profit". I have to tell you I have NEVER seen this before at any restaurant of any kind.
As for the meal, a bagel and coffee, it was the blandest, supermarket-style bagel you can imagine, and for the coffee, NO FREE REFILLS! Again, I go to just as many diners as the next guy, but I have never been denied a free refill of coffee. Another pathetic cash grab.
When you go to pay, you are fed into an amusement-park style line feeder that shunts you thru a very narrow, glass enclosed lane til you are directly in front of the cashier. I assume this is so folks don't leave without paying; however, it has the effect of making everyone passing thru feel like a criminal under strict supervision.
I hated the vibe of this place. Never going back.
Besides all of the lovely smiles at the Melrose Diner...i was so disappointed with the service and food. Sure, the prices arent bad, but take yourself to Penrose before you step in here. We waited a good 15 minutes before the waitress (AT THE BAR) finally decided to come over to us...then she messed up our drinks, which is so freaking basic...i knew it was going to get worse. We order our norm, 2 eggs over easy, bacon, fries.......the bacon was so undercooked it was not even edible. My eggs were overcooked......she charged us the wrong amount. We asked another waitress about helping us with our bill or grabbing our waitress and she shunned us off and then continued to tell the dishwasher how amazing he was.......and how good he was at his job. So annoying..never...going back here.
I won't add to what everyone else said because everyone is right, whether they love it or hate it.
I will say that they have Very good creamed chip beef but they run out early on weekends.
Where to go when the world is too busy and high tech for your liking?
Melrose Diner.
And relive the 60's feeling as you share a milkshake with your boyfriend.
Okay, so I wasn't even alive during the 60's however I've watch alot of "I love Lucy"s to have 60's feelings.
I came here two days ago, starving and in need of good food.
Word of wisdom:
-It's self seating however I would recommand stools rather than booth because service is so much faster at the stools.
-If you come before 9PM, majority of the people there are old.
-The London boiled flank is bland. Don't order it.
I ordered:
Chicken Alphabet Soup (which is very homely)
Chicken Fingers (best thing there is)
Turkey Sandwich (comes with french fries and smothered with gravy- very old feeling)
Cheesecake -eh
Coconut Custard Pie-yum
Carrot Cake-double yum with raisin
Endless cups of coffee
The waitress was laughing and kinda shocked at how much I ate.
Although I have never seen Scrapple under the blinding sober light of day (might make me second think my love for it), it appears to be a magical substance sent down from heaven as the perfect topping on a night of fun. It is grey pork matter, thinly sliced, and fried to a crisp - and no place serves it better than the Melrose Diner. The Melrose is a classic/typical east coast diner offering big plates of greasy comfort food. BUT IF ITS SCRAPPLE YOU WANT, THIS IS "THE" PLACE!
I find Melrose to be one of those places I go to because it's a block from where I live, not because it's good. The service is alright, sometimes really good... sometimes really awful. The food is mediocre at best. People talk about how amazing their cake is but I think it's dry. I favor their breakfast food and their open face turkey sandwich. The seating is kinda weird but it gives the place character. I don't love the Melrose but it's always there for me when I need it.
The Melrose is a landmark, classic style. I really enjoy going there, not only has a majority of the staff been working there forever, a majority of the patrons have been patronizing there forever. It is a very interesting place. To me it typifies what a diner should be.
I recommend the western omelet, and french toast (not together, your stomach could explode).
I visited my old stomping grounds with my dad a few weeks ago....WTF did they do to the Melrose diner!!! Not only did they "remodel" but they took away the ambiance? I am so heartbroken. Yo, no one is old and nasty that works there anymore!!! WTF is that about? What's with the really lame new booths with the divider in the middle? The food was ok, but what happened to the drama -- they revamped all of the personality out of this place including the menu which is like 2 pages. What diner has a 2 page menu? And now that Broad St. diner is closed I will have to stick to Penrose diner or Oregon Avenue diner when I'm in South Philly, I guess. What is the world coming to?
i LOVE this diner. Not for the food, but for the DRAMA!! I used to live in South Philly as a… Read more »
If you're looking for diner food after drinking in the city and don't want to go too far, then Melrose is a decent place to go. Nothing special about the food. It's just run of the mill diner food. But it's definitely got the location going for it. Personally, I think it's worth the extra five minute drive to head down to Penrose.
Just no.
I've grown up in South Philly as well as pretty close to the diner but that's not enough for me to love it. The foods nothing special, the people can be bitchy & your time can be spent better elsewhere.
Everyone who knows goes to the Melrose.
At least, that's what their napkins say. Since I was a kid, I've been going to the Melrose before Flyers games. The atmosphere, the people watching, the desert, and the potato boats - I love it all. Ok, I really love the potato boats. I can't even guess how many of those things I have eaten in my lifetime.
Anyway, people who love the Melrose have grown up with it. If you've never been, and you are curious about the hype, it's too late - you've already missed the boat, so to speak.
When I first moved to Philly, back in the days I was living in Pennsport, I could'nt figure out where to find a local diner, and missed my old Chicago 24 hour haunts. Pre-Yelp days, I just had to wander around until I found one. I was relieved when I finally stumbled on Melrose - Philly is not a diner-less city (though we do seem to have less than most) Sure, it's not the best food in the world, but it will do. I haven't been for a few years, but the classic grilled cheese and fries after a long night always set me right. And the booth situation is uniquely hilarious.
I used to love going to the Melrose Diner with my parents when I was a kid. I'm going back about 15 years or more. Unfortunately, everyone who knows.... doesn't go to the Melrose as their traditional jingle likes to insist. The diner which has been a landmark in South Philadelphia for years has recently been put under new management and ownership. Sadly, the food, charm and service is no longer up to the standards they once were which put this diner on the map. The portions have gotten smaller, the overall quality of the food has gone down, the service is slower, the prices have gone up and sitting across from strangers has never been more awkward. It pains me to recommend avoiding this establishment because I've had so many fond childhood memories there growing up in the city but you will be better off driving a couple of extra blocks to the Penrose instead.
Let's see...Melrose has been around since 1935. It is a fairly traditional diner and its menu contains standard diner food. It boasts of homemade baked goods, which are okay but nothing to write home about. What bugs me out is the communal sitting arrangement. There aren't that many people in South Philly that I want to sit that close to, especially considering diners are usually best when one is at least a little intoxicated.
The food I had was appalling, which is to be expected at a diner. The eggs were greasy and the toast was like charred air. Apparently their milkshakes are good because my friend drank his down very quickly and happily. So my recommendation? A milkshake and some pie, maybe a little coffee.
Well where do we start.
I've tried this place both for breakfast and for dinner. A few friends of mine swear by it!
I've got to say...nope not doing it for me.
Had a steak there last week...gross. Not even ok or eh...it was GROSS! Not appealing at all!
The stewed tomato's were yummy though.
Pancakes...left a lot to be desired.
But I will say this! My last trip there...our server...WAS AWESOME! He was working late night...I didn't catch his name...but he was great! So I'm giving this place three stars because of him! Otherwise they'd have one.
Where I grew up, I saw a TV show that claimed the Melrose was the best diner in Pennsylvania. Years later, I went in to see if its true.
I don't think so. The Melrose is a cool place to go, I guess. As the other reviews suggest, I guess you had to grow up with it around to really love it. I thought the food was mediocre, the service suspect, and you couldn't smoke in it years before the ban. Maybe I was so used to the nicotine stained glass, but I thought it made diners better.
I prefer others to this, though I do respect its history and fish-story reputation.
The proper name of this place is the Melrose Diner & Bakery. Most everyone in town knows it as 'The Melrose.' What can you say... It's a diner. The food is decent, the services is all right. One of the thing the place is known for is the fact that the staff turn over is very low. I was in one time and was waited on by a lady who started there in 1972. That's the year I was born!
Don't expect nuthing fancy.
This is a fantastic diner for the following reasons:
1. It's in a vintage actual portable diner, like the kind that isn't really connected to the ground and has rounded walls.
2. The people who work here are from another decade and are a pretty eclectic bunch - I heard one waitress talking about her stint in rehab loudly.
3. The food is great. Healthy portions, fast service and they even have a breakfast sandwich that's really like a cheese steak but with eggs.
4. They also sell a lot of baked goods which I didn't have, but imagine would be quite good. And they have fruitcake at Christmas.....
I'd go back in a heartbeat.....
I had driven by the Melrose Diner a lot on my way to run various errands. It always looked appealing in that classic diner sort of way, but there are lost of "classic diners" peppering South Philly, forcing a dime-a-dozen feel about them. So I was hesitant about trying this one. But I'm glad I did.
If you're looking for good, home-style comfort food, then the Melrose Diner is a good bet. The menu offers lots of American classics that can appeal to pretty much anyone's pallet. My only complaint is that the rolls are a bit dry and stale (my husband liked his, though, so maybe I'm just too picky--bread is one of my absolute favorite foods, so I hold most breads to a higher standard). And maybe they're not dry and stale every time, maybe they just were that night.
Also, the seating is a bit annoying. There is of course the expected counter-style seating in the middle of the diner, but there are also booths set up around the periphary. Unforunately, you have to kind of "share" your booth with other patrons (I couldn't describe the communal booths if I tried, but suffice it to say that it's a bit unnerving to someone who is used to more secluded booths with decent partioning between them). And this can make for a loud (albeit sometimes interesting and funny) dinging experience. My husband and I got to eavesdrop (whether we wanted to or not) on the sexual and dating exploits of a scrawny guy sandwiched between two giggling (and likely suffering) female companions.
But the service is warm and friendly, the food is good, and I would definitely come back and risk sharing a booth again.
Their cake is good. Yeah, they deserve two more stars just for the cake alone - but that still doesn't bring it up to 5 stars. They need to ONLY serve cake.
*singing* "Everybody who knows, goes to Melrose, everybody who knows goes to Melrose..." - well now… Read more »
Philadelphia, PA
Category: Diners
Philadelphia, PA
Category: Diners
Neighborhood: Society Hill
Category: Restaurants
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Category: Diners
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