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Melba's, New York, NY
Award-winning

Melba's

4.6
4.6
1578 Reviews
$50 and over
American

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 32 times today
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Good for groups
  • Good for special occasions
Enjoy Southern comfort food with a twist in a relaxing, casual setting at Melba's. Owner Melba Wilson opened its doors for locals and travelers alike to have a pleasant dining experience with great service. Fried catfish strips, barbecue short rib sliders and spring rolls filled with black-eyed peas and collard greens make delicious appetizers before feasting on the main course. Guests can choose from entrées like Melba's popular Southern fried chicken with eggnog waffles, which was a winner on Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, as well as pan-seared sea bass and the barbecue turkey meatloaf. This restaurant also serves hamburgers, lighter fare and sides such as candied yams.

Melba's offers catered business luncheons, receptions and more. Reservations are welcome, and takeout is available for guests.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    American, Comfort Food, Soul food
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Wed 11:00 am–10:00 pm Thu–Sun 11:00 am–11:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (212) 864-7777
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    For private events and catering, please contact our Special Events & Catering Director at: events@melbasrestaurant.com
  • Private party facilities
    For private events and catering, please contact our Special Events & Catering Director at: events@melbasrestaurant.com
  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
  • Area
    Harlem
  • Cross Street
    Frederick Douglas Blvd. (8th Avenue)
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Public transit
    B & C train at 116th Street (2 blocks away)2 train at 116th street (4 blocks away)
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Full Bar, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,578 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Melba's offers a vibrant dining experience with standout soul food and "amazing" service. Enjoy scrumptious dishes like fried chicken and waffles in a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Though some patrons noted service delays, many rave about the "fantastic" food and generous portions. It's a Harlem favorite, perfect for gatherings and celebrations.

1,578 Reviews
  1. Ann

    New York City

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a wonderful time taking family from out of town there for a late brunch! We/they loved the ambience, the service and the food was scrumptious! Will be back to dine soon!👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

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  2. Edwin

    New York City

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Melba's is always a delicious experience. I went this time for her Thanksgiving dinner. The butternut squash soup lacked a bit of sweetness I was expecting, but the shrimp cocktail was tasty. My party got the turkey, which was very good and the sausage stuffing was amazing. Sides of mac and cheese, ASAP yams, collard greens, and mashed potatoes were equally amazing. We also tried their Apple Cider Sidecar cocktail special and really enjoyed that as well. Overall the environment was welcoming and lively.

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  3. Pat

    New York City

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    No bread was served. Tables were small and tight and wobbly.

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  4. Dawn

    New York City

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The “go-to” for Thanksgiving dinner! Down home delicious—EVERYTHING!!

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  5. Krystle

    New York City

    1 review

    vip
    2.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    It took way too long to get our food. We had a reservation for 12pm and didn’t eat our appetizer until 1pm and the entree until after 2. The service was slow and the short ribs were too tough. Only one bone was filled with tender meat. We ended up getting our dessert to go because it was 3:15 and we didn’t want to wait another hour for dessert. Other patrons were leaving because of how slow the service was. Also, they didn’t offer to give rolls or anything while we waited knowing that it was taking forever to get the food to our table. It also took our waitress 40 minutes to bring one ginger ale to us. This was poorly planned and executed by the staff. Will not return next year.

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  6. Ariel

    New York City

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Honestly? Just go for the chicken and waffles. The eggnog waffles were DIVINE.

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  7. yolanda

    New York City

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 18 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service was amazing. Everyone was friendly and welcoming. The food was delicious and came out quickly. Melba’s did not disappoint!

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  8. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on 14 November 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    It was a good experience, but the food was only so-so. It came out incredibly quickly, but that’s because the food must have been sitting around. My impression is that this restaurant must have been great once upon a time and then became a destination and deteriorated as it catered to tourists.

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  9. Kimberley

    Jacksonville

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on 10 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Melba's is always a vibe! Sharmayne, Kenny or Brian always will take good care of you. Food always amazing and the biggest complaint I hear is they want more food that it isn't enough. I think and take that as a compliment! Love Melba and her energy! She makes her place home! I am still saving my coins to take home one of those Lamar Campbell originals as well! Enjoy!

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  10. Tim

    Austin

    24 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    24 reviews

    Dined on 9 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Melba’s was outstanding. The food was great and the service was above and beyond. Highly recommend this for anyone. I would recommend making reservations as it was busy, We arrived early and the host took care of getting us seated as soon as he could.

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FAQs

Melba's offers delivery in partnership with Postmates and Uber Eats. Melba's also offers takeaway which you can order by calling the restaurant at (212) 864-7777.

Melba's is rated 4.6 stars by 1578 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 32 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Melba's

300 W 114th St, New York, NY 10026

Additional information

  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
  • Cross Street
    Frederick Douglas Blvd. (8th Avenue)
  • Area
    Harlem
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Wed 11:00 am–10:00 pm Thu–Sun 11:00 am–11:00 pm
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    American, Comfort Food, Soul food
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Public transit
    B & C train at 116th Street (2 blocks away)2 train at 116th street (4 blocks away)
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Full Bar, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (212) 864-7777
  • Catering
    For private events and catering, please contact our Special Events & Catering Director at: events@melbasrestaurant.com
  • Private party facilities
    For private events and catering, please contact our Special Events & Catering Director at: events@melbasrestaurant.com
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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