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Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
FANTASTIC steak. I got the baseball cut prime sirloin. It was perfectly medium-rare and perfectly seasoned. Roasted veggies and loaded baked potato had my heart at first bites. Salad (included with the meal btw) and rolls were great starters. Pumpkin pecan creme brulee. Oh, god. Our server was attentive, smart, personable, split the tab and got it all right. Bartender was friendly with a welcoming face for a 15 minute wait for our table. The place was packed, has old-school ambience, and a free parking lot after 5pm. Street parking is not difficult in this area.
Our bill for two dinners, glass of wine and dessert was only $70. I will be back. I will bring people with me. Soon. Renton, I ain't scared of you.
Just a quick update - they DO have a 9 oz New York strip for $24, which is probably what I'll get the next time I go. And there is a Filet which is 9 oz for $30. I just missed it on the menu, so I'll check those out next time I go back. And I'll probably get it with the "Oscar" topping (see the chalk board when you go).
And I forgot to mention that while my wife and I had wine, they had an excellent selection of local beer. My friend got something off the specials, and was very pleased.
So, my apologies for missing the small cuts - I will check those out the next time I'm there. Make no mis-"steak", I will go again!
This is a really solid steakhouse, with huge portions and good cuts of meat. The seasoning is good… Read more »
I had the best steak I've ever had in my life here. It was awesome. It's earned a spot on my "special occasion" restaurant list.
The environment is a little dingy, kind of dated, but it gives a nice ambience you can't find at a chain steakhouse. There seemed to be a lot of regulars, which I suppose means people like coming back. I am just a fan of little local restaurants since moving to Renton, and this is #1.
Let me start by saying this is ONE of my Favorite Steak places.
Steak is SO subjective, I've heard people not like this place b/c they don't like aged steaks or they like Ruth Chris style(Butter everywhere).
When we come to Melrose I know what I'm gonna have the Fillet. The price of this steak is pretty high, but in my opinion it's worth it. I've had MANY a mediocre steaks at this price range, unfortunately. The restaurant it self is old and rustic and we like it. The bar area is reminiscent of old time saloons, albeit small.
The only thing I have to say somewhat negatively about this place is that people talk up the "Crispy Parms" as if they are the next best thing to their awesome steak! These are glorified potato wedges with olive oil and Parmesan cheese. They are 'OK' at best. I much prefer their loaded potato with the steak. My only advise is that you pare your expectations down for them and you might like them.
They do have a good selection of local craft beers and fair wine by-the-glass list.
Go here when you are looking for a new place to go and want some adventure. Go in with an open mind and if you LOVE it great, if not maybe try one of their seafood or specials next time. The service and food has always been good for me.
What a let down. All's I have heard about this place is that it was good....pricey, but good. And to ONE extent, I would agree. My Filet was perfect. It takes someone that knows what they're doing in the kitchen to prepare a 2 1/2 inch steak like that to Medium Well.
What has perhaps been left to the "nostalgic" point of view... to me? the place looked tired, cheap, and ill lighted.
You ask the wait person politely for lemon in your water... you would expect it to show up, right? Nope.
Salads? at these prices, surely you could do something beyond totally ordinary. Anyone with Romaine and a dressing could do this. Strike one.
Now on to the really NOT good stuff. We were a party of three. The Rib-Eye's my friends got were literally TOUGH. Rare steaks (supposedly aged) should not be tough. Ever. Strike two.
Strike three and four....and five. I asked the wait person for a description of the "lemon tart" on the special menu that night. After a blank stare, she came up with "well, it's lemon, with something drizzled over the top". Brilliant honey. Even a three year old could come up with a riveting description such as that. And oh, I did order it anyway. It was like your aunt's lemon squares recipe cut into pretentious wedges. Oh please. Strike three, and four. My friend ordered the peach crisp based on said wait staff's recommendation. It was so sickly sweet, they couldn't finish it, between two people. Strike five.
Don't even get me started about your BS wine list.
Get a grip.
Honestly? I haven't had a better steak anywhere. (OK there was a Kobe beef house in Japan . . .) Certainly anywhere in the Puget Sound. We had the Pepperwood Cab to go with our fillets and stuffed baked potatoes. I had the big one and my friend the smaller. I could have gone with the smaller too and would have had plenty to eat but it was worth every mouth watering bite to shift and lean side to side to squeeze more food in like a Thanksgiving glut fest.
We got there just as they opened and enjoyed a house martini straight up. In no time the place filled up and my friend sitting facing the door claims he saw MR BILL (Gates) saunter in and sit in the very back with friends. From the back it sure looked like him (that could be a good or bad thing I suppose).
One of the owners stopped by to chat. Nice guy. But WE didn't get a free desert like another reviewer did. That's OK. I'll spend some more of my closely held dough there again soon.
Go Check it Out!
My favorite steak place in all of Seattle!
My favorite is the Ribeye and they season it and cook it (medium rare) to perfection. I've had great luck trying wines at their suggestion. I've never had to send a meal back (due to errors in cooking or putting the wrong things on the plate). It may not seem like much but I'm surprised how often it happens at other steak houses and grills.
Staff is very helpful and attentive without being attached at the elbow. The staff knows it's food and beverage menu well and is able to provide great recommendations based upon your likes and dislikes. They're not above tweaking a meal to deal with dietary issues either.
Prices are great for the portions and quality of the food. For two people with entrees, salads and wine/cocktails, I'm often out less than $80.
The restaurant isn't the largest (25 tables?), so there can be a little wait at peak times. There is a small interior waiting area and a smaller bar to pass the time in. The decor has lots of dark wood on the walls like many steak houses - it has a casual yet upscale feel. You will see people there in t-shirts, but most are in dress shirts or polo shirts and nice jeans (no need for the sport coat). And there's a history to the place on their menus that adds to the interest (go and read it - why spoil it now).
Girls' Night Out for big steak dinner. Though we usually go to Jak's West Seattle since it's in my neighborhood, we thought we'd try Melrose Grill for the southend folks. I had been there several years before but nothing in particular stuck out in my mind about the place. Three ribeyes and one salmon: meat was seasoned and cooked perfectly for everyone. I opted for the baked potato and sprung for the extra buck to have it loaded. The parm crispy potatos which were highly recommended by our waiter were good, but they'd be tough to scoot to the "high road" of the plate to keep them crispy and out of the meat juices. Accompanying vegetables were nicely cooked and I farmed out my cauliflower to the other girls. Can't comment on the salmon, but it must have been good because the skinny girl ate every last bit of it. I think the Caesar was a little extra than the standard house salad but it was worth it - housemade croutons - I think I got about 3 of them... Waiter was good, but a little distracted and I wanted to flag him down for more croutons. Would definitely go back if I'm in the area.
The service is awesome! The owners are also awesome. One of the owners Franco Phillips, who is also the manager at the Melrose Grill is there five nights a week, and comes to the tables and asks if your food is prepared well, not that's really thoughtful.
Let's dig into the best part-
the steak.
The first time I came in, I didn't know what kind of steak to get. So the lovely server helped me out. She told me, I should get a fillet because of the flavor. So I did just that, and it was awesome. Before the steak came, my friend and I were given rolls. After the rolls, we both got our salads. I had the bleu cheese and it was sublime. Then the moment of truth came, the steak. I took a bite into it, and it was amazing. The flavor melted in my mouth, and I didn't need any sort of steak sauce. Plus the steak comes with a potato and veggies. Or if you don't want a potato they have the option of rice pilaf. There are always specials on the board. We then have the crisp for dessert, which is homemade just like every other dessert. And it was delicious.
I highly suggest the Melrose if you like good steak and affordable prices!
Sometimes I have a craving for animal.
It happened yesteday, so the bf took me to the Melrose Steakhouse...where we promptly ordered a) a bottle of wine (of course), and b) meat.
I had the brochette skewer & tiger prawns ("surf & turf" if you will) and it was FUCKING PHENOMENAL! It came w/ these lovely crispy parmesan potatoes and roasted veggies PLUS a salad. I couldn't finish my meal. Amazing. Most steakhouses would charge WAAAAAY more for what I ate & then charge you extra for the potatoes & veggies. Not the Melrose - my meal was a mere $25.
Our wait staff was super - the service was fantastic.
And yes, I was slurring by the end thanks to our bottle of wine.
Bravo Renton, you tiny little town - you have one of the best steakhouses around!
Fabulous! A friend talked me into the drive from Tacoma ... the food was well worth the drive (even in Friday night traffic!) High quality steak cooked to perfection! More than fair prices ... best dining experience in a while.
Can't wait to come back.
I love this place!
Anytime I am visiting my sis we make sure to come here for our out with the friends night. I love everything about this place. We usually come in and have a drink at the bar while we wait for a table. Which the bartender is hilarious! Watch out though I think he might steal a quick sip of your drink if you arent looking! :o)
The food is top notch along with the service. Always a great experience!
All meat should get as fitting an end as how it's served at the Melrose.
My wife and I went to the Melrose for the first time to dine tonight. We both had steaks and both were excellent.
Don't expect Renton prices - these are quality steak house prices. For two entrees, one glass of wine, and one shared dessert, it was about $80 without tip.
Service was prompt without being too lax or too pushy, just right. We didn't have a reservation and we're told they only take them for large groups anyway. I think we were told it would be a 30 minute wait for a table and I think we waited about that long.
Parking is readily available for free on-street or in an off-street lot nearby.
Note: this place is a come-as-you are type place where the attire is dressy to casual (jeans and a t-shirt seem to be OK).
We had drinks at the Melrose Grill after dining at the Fin'n'Bone across the street. The smell of… Read more »
Great place for a steakhouse. One of the better neighborhood steak houses in the Seattle area.
MMMMM... Steak!
I get a craving for a good steak at times and Oh Look! right here in Renton is one of the best steak houses in Washington. The have quality grade steaks with flavor to die for and pair that with their garlic mashed potatoes and a great bottle of wine and you are in heaven. Will be a loyal fan and customer for years to come.
I am a meat lover and rib eye connoisseur, this place has every steak house in the entire USA beat, and they are soooo affordable! I have paid hundreds of dollars in search of the perfect steak , I have hit the best US restaurants and this place is my all time fav. If you want terrific flavor and you know your steaks, this is the place for you, order the ribeye and spend the rest of your life happy. I take people her on special occasions and everyone tells me they dream about their steak from then on, it IS that good. They don't take reservations so get there early, it is a busy little place and you will soon find out why.
I really love this place. Since living in Renton (from West Seattle) for over one year, this is my favaorite restaraunt in Renton. I could be swayed to love another more, but until then...
I've been in 4 times at least and everytime is the same:
Good prices(for steak and seafood)
Great fiendly service
Great atmosphere (which can be REALLY lost in Renton)
Great food!
I think Iv'e only had some sort of steak- tenderloin/filet is always on. Sooooo tender. My husband and friends have tried many other dishes that have all been fantastic. The only thing I crave more is a bigger "wine by the glass" list. They do have a good "by the bottle" list.
Quick. Your boss has cornered you and has a dilemma. She needs you to find a non-chain, great atmosphere, upper-end dining experience in the South-end of Seattle for some visiting non-fish eating Midwestern VIPs. Your mind springs into action:
Hmm....You say our guests have a food allergy to teriyaki? (drat, there goes 50% of the eating establishments)...What about ****? They even "biggie size" it....Nope...What about "Stromboli's Ancient Italian" (slogan: "in business since your grandpappy was viagra-free")? Yeah, Stromboli's, where that white stuff on your pasta is even odds mozzarella or the chef's dandruff...No takers...Hmm, let's see, what do Yelp and Chowhound recommend for "great dining in South Seattle"....Nada.
I did finally solve this dilemma after much searching. The Melrose Grill is a welcome oasis in an on-the-upswing part of old Renton. Housed in a charming turn-of-the-century hotel built from gold rush money, the atmosphere is formal enough to save you a drive to Morton's in downtown Seattle, yet casual enough to make it a comfortable, regular place to eat. They have interesting beers on tap (though only four) and a focused menu that will easily mollify even the most rabid meat eater. The Prime Rib was delicious, and the waitress catered to my indecision about a potato side dish by bringing me a little of both (bonus points).
At long last, you and your dinner guests won't need to fight over who gets the "free toy with meal" in Seattle's south end.
Melrose fully satisfies the hankering for a quality ribeye steak and cold martini. Entree automatically includes dinner salad. The sauteed vegetables would be better if prepared with less oil, but they are still OK.
They certainly know how to do a steak here. If you want just some pink on the inside, order "medium-well-done"
Some nice desserts: peach crisp and the bourbon creme brulee topped with pecans. Also like their whiskey/dessert wine/port menu.
Revised: 1/22/09
Far and away the BEST restaurant in Renton. Both times I have been here service and food has been phenomenal. I am a rare bloody steak gal and I cannot stray away from a big ol' hunk of meat, but last night my bf got the halibut on special and OH MY GOD it was the best halibut I've ever had. Worlds better than the "famous" halibut at Duke's. This time I had a NY strip steak with sauteed mushrooms, the steak was cooked perfectly and they got it just the right amount of rare- not overcooked. My daddy taught me right, that steak better be pink throughout!!!! Had a cosmopolitan which was delicious. It is not cheap to eat here, I would really say it is above Renton prices but it is WORTH IT. I can not recommend this place enough, take anyone you are eager to impress here for dinner.
Its great to have a restaurant like this in our area. Impeccable succulent beef can be found here if you are interested. I would say they are comparable to Jaks Grill - Food quality and pricing. My husband and I ordered filet mignon. Was made perfectly and tasted great. They have awesome potatoes with crispy parmesan cheese. Very unique and special and oh, so yummy. Drinks were good too. Service was fine. Do watch out for the "romantic table" this is a corner bench area with a chair on the other side they market as "cozy". yeah, go for a booth instead, they are much nicer.
when i want to go to a great steakhouse that's near my house, i go to this historic former boxing venue in downtown renton. i order the huge porterhouse here, which for the price, isn't bad for what you pay for. it is juicy, seasoned well and presented well. moderately priced compared to daniels or the metropolitan grill, this place really serves up some great food. the service is also very good. there are numerous free public parking lots around and street parking, but it still is hard to find parking sometimes since there are so many other restaurants around there.
Ok, so about our second visit to Melrose Grill. We went as a group of 6 for my brothers birthday and I must say, we left extremely happy again!!
Ted, our server, was equally as good as Jaime. The food was excellent and perfectly cooked.....except for the one person in our party (sorry Scott) that ordered a filet WELL DONE. What a waste of a great piece of meat ;-(
This time we did indulge in two desserts. One being the toasted pecan creme brulee and the other was the homemade cheesecake with blueberry sauce. Oh, my is all I can say about the cheesecake.....it was amazing!! I have to say, my mom makes a mean cheesecake....but this takes the prize. One bite and it's a party in your mouth and everyone's invited. Definitely indulge and have a slice if it is available!
We will be going back again hopefully soon! We now have a flood of people that want to give it a try. To Franco, the owner, my brother said it was even better than his El Gaucho visits!
With our 16th anniversary coming up we wanted to find something different than our "usual" places.… Read more »
I adore the Melrose. It is a small. quaint, delicious steak house in downtown Renton. It opened within the last five years in a completely refurbished historic building within the downtown core (built in 1901 it used to be a tavern). Co-owned by Armando of Armondo's (across the street) and a few other investors you can be sure that the chef knows what he is doing!
Its a small intimate setting with seating for about 80 people. The space is dark, even during the day - but the meal makes it worth it. I think its in the running for some of the best steak in King County - with the added benefit of Renton prices!
One downfall is that they don't take reservations and won't seat until the entire party is there. Not ideal for groups.
The menu isn't huge - they seem to have the philosophy of doing one thing and doing it well.
I've had mostly good nights here only one that was not so good. (off night) The fillet minion is wonderful. The salmon is perfect but I go their for the bartender Leroy most of the time! He makes us laugh so hard I want to pee my pants and sometimes it's just fun to have some apps and sit their with him.
Everyone is friendly and I go their so much it feels like a second home. The meat is a natural non-hormone with is great for us who care about that stuff. Try it!
My wife and I went here recently. We'd been in the neighborhood a bit earlier, and thought the Melrose looked very promising.
It lived up to that. This is an old-fashioned, unapologetic steakhouse. Mind you, since we moved to Kent back in June, we've learned that steakhouses are a dime a dozen in southern King County. But the Melrose is a cut above.
In fact, I'd say that cut is the Delmonico. I've seen the name before, but not for years... not since I was a kid on the east coast. It's basically a bone-in rib eye, with the bone shaping an "L" on two sides of the steak. We've become so afraid of bones in this country, and have pushed restaurants so hard into offering nothing but filets, that we've forgotten home-spun wisdom: "The closer the bone, the sweeter the meat."
My wife had a duck risotto, which was on special. Many of the specials appear to have sprung right from Armondo's across the street -- not a surprise, since Armondo owns both places. The duck was prepared as a grilled pair of breasts. Very nicely done. (And, no, the irony of praising a place for serving a steak *with* a bone in, and duck (of all things) *without* does not escape me.)
Price was $90, tax, tip, and wine included, so $45 each.
Others have mentioned the relatively sparse menu. Having been watching a bit of Gordon Ramsay lately, that strikes me as a sensible business decision -- fewer items means more orders of each item, which means things are less expensive for the restaurant. Tie that in with the sharing from across the street I mentioned, and you can see Armondo is a savvy owner indeed. And, as has also been mentioned, it allows for a focus on the dishes that *do* make the cut.
Woody, cozy, warm, with that hint of early 20th century -- all with genuinely excellent food.
The food was great! I ordered a filet minion. It came with a garden salad, garlic parmesan potatoes and some veggies. Everything turned out great and perfectly seasoned. The only downfall was the price. $30 bucks for that meal. Else, the waitress was really nice, always watching out if we needed anything (refill, etc)
Just returned from a date night with my wife. She sometimes does allow me to indulge in the red meat world and we agree that they do enough fish dishes for both of us to be happy. It is a steakhouse that is happy to serve really good meat. They have paper napkins, but the steak is the winner. Their wine list is pretty good, the beer selections are varied and the servers know their stuff. As one of my friends said the other day, I don't want servers to be my friend, I want them to do a great job of delivering the food and explaining the menu. I've been very happy with every server I've ever had there.
Renton seems like such a funny place to go for dinner, but The Melrose works. It isn't The Met... and it doesn't try to be. It is a Renton place in a downtown area that is waking up. I've never tried doing reservations there... and sometimes there is a bit of a wait... but it is worth it. We walked out at under $100 tonight and that was with a decent tip. I thought it was worth every cent.
YUM. This was some of the best steak that I have had in a long time. The setting was cute and it is really close to home. A little pricey but SO worth it. My sirloin literally tasted like filet mignon. YUM
One of the best steakhouses on the east side. I started the evening with the tomato and blue cheese salad. Great presentation and if you love tomatoes which I do the balsamic vinaigrette and the good slice of blue cheese is a perfect match. I went for the rib eye and the king crab legs!! The crab legs were very good!! The steak was superb! The crisp, excellent taste of the Melrose Grill steak is untouchable in my opinion. This is my third time to the Melrose Grill and I must say it is always a very good meal!!! I topped the night off with some of their home made cheesecake with the raspberry sauce. Again in my opinion one of the best cheesecakes I have ever tasted. Truly New York style!! Great service, good food!! This baby is a winner!!!
You can't beat The Met or Brooklyn but we ventured down south again and Renton has a vibrant downtown and their Farmer's Market was very busy for an early 6pm evening of mad dash people buying groceries on their way home from work? The selection was fresh...back to Melrose Grill.
Located off the train tracks, this dark and dimly lit restaurant accomodated us very quickly as the restaurant filled up fast. Service was quick, food was mixed. Half of us enjoyed the steak , the other half considered it too salty especially the beef strogonoff. It was beyond palatable.
Enjoyable but not memorable.
Another good reason to visit Renton! The menu is spare, but you can't go wrong with any of their aged beef steaks. They are melt-in-your-mouth awesome, and won't leave you bankrupt. Service was friendly, efficient, and unobtrusive just like it should be. When we're feeling like steak, we head here. The only reason I didn't give them 5 stars was because I feel the restaurant might be a little too dimly lit and wish the menu was just a wee more expanded (more appetizer choices, please!).
My husband and I decided to give this place a try since it was nearby and we were sick of the same 'ol places. It wasn't hard to find, parking was easy even on the weekend, and we got seated right away. The ambiance is a little spooky. Maybe because I read about how old the place was on the back of the menu, at the same time I noticed the old black and white pictures on the walls...and there's hardly any lighting so even spookier. But, it was a good change from the usual. Our waiter was hilarious and kind of goofy, but at the same time, attentive. I ordered the halibut special with a side spinach salad. The bread that comes out before is pretty tough, but still good enough to eat when you're hungry. The spinach salad had a garbanzo bean topping that looked interesting (meaning gross), but it actually tasted good. The halibut came with vegetables and rice -- the fish was tender, the vegetables were cooked well, and the rice was flavorful. My husband said his "surf n' turf" special was also very good and filling (and he's usually still hungry after a meal). We really liked this place and the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because my ice water tasted like metal mixed with dirt and I don't want to know what else. The waiter did apologize and gave me "better" water from the filter. I've heard their steaks are great so I think we will go back to try a filet. Oh, but be prepared to spend around $30 on one meal -- we spent $100 on our dinner with dessert and tip. That reminds me...the blueberry cheesecake was yummy!
fantastic steak house. my friends introduced me to this place several years ago and i've been going back ever since. jaks is good, the met is excellent but bang for the buck - it's melrose. i usually get the porterhouse or the delmonico with a side of grilled prawns. sometimes it's just a lil teensy bit over cooked for my tastes but overall i can't really complain. when my friends come back from overseas i make it a point to welcome them back to the good ol' U S and A with some cornfed USDA Prime beef. we get desserts sometimes and for the most part they are quite tasty. we always hafta wait a lil bit when we get there cause my friends obviosly cannot tell time so we chill in the bar. drinks are mad stiff and the bartender always has something witty. good times everytime!
Quality food; great salad and steak; great wait staff; Price for Steak, Salad and a glass of wine, $45. including tip. I would return.
The Melrose has the best steaks in the Seattle area, and it's a cool old building. Same ownership as Armando's nearby, a very good Italian restaurant.
Renton, WA
Category: Tapas Bars
Renton, WA
Category: Steakhouses
Renton, WA
Category: Barbeque
Renton, WA
Category: American (Traditional)
Renton, WA
Category: American (New)
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