Melbas Reviews

Good food, attentive and friendly staff. I will be back. I reccomend the chicken and waffles, with strawberry butter.You guess how they were.

Had the catfish with a side of collard greens and Mac & cheese. Catfish was seasoned well, and I liked that there wasn't too much batter. Greens weren't as sour as I like, but still hit the spot. Mac & cheese was spot on.

We arrived a little by chance on Thanksgiving Day.
What a joy to have been able to get two places at the bar.
The service is great and the bartender is a true artist all by himself.
We are truly delighted with deliciously prepared and typical dishes.
Melba was present and adorable.

Awesome hospitality! So attentive from the moment I walked in. Clean and you are able to sit and eat too.Fast service there. Must Enjoyed the food. They even have lunch specials.

I am a native New Yorker and will keep to the directness of how we are known to be :)

Food: You must try the Chicken & Waffles!!!!
Space: This is a very modern, sleek and cozy setting serving up classical Southern/Soul food. I know people say "food so good makes you want to slap your mamma". They created that statement for the food at this place. The whole restaurant has a very cozy and casual feel, yet modern design.
Crowd: 20-50s Mostly locals, tourists, Columbia students & faculty.
Service: Very attentive, efficient, and courteous.

Quaint, friendly and good food and prices. Make a reservation.

Food was delicious and the wait was not long..staff was friendly .I would visit again .

Good vibes, good food. Grits age awesome, had 2 servings. Also had cat fish, fried chicken breast and a sweet potato pancake.

Mac and Cheese can use some work, Plus since the place is very small service is okay because its veey very busy

The food is excellent, especially the short ribs of beef, potato salad and candid yams. The mac and cheese, greens and shrimps are also very good. Nicholas and the staff are the best. I could not have asked for a better birthday dinner. I will definitely go there again. Thank you so much.

Some of the best Chicken and Waffles you will have anywhere

3 people 3 meals excellent across the boards. Get the impression you can't go wrong here. Efficient friendly service. Place gets crowded show up at 5 just before opening to ensure getting a table or be sure to make reservations.

The food, service and atmosphere where absolutely the best.

Drinks are good & strong!!! Chicken & waffles are good as well!!

The BEST Soul Food in Harlem! Period. Melba comes from Soul Food royalty and it shows in her food. Melba's was amazing when it opened and all these years later the food and service are still top notch! I was so happy to celebrate my last Sunday brunch as a NYC resident there!

So happy the restaurant is bigger. Collard Greens were great, wish they use less or no salt in their dishes. Tasted a bit SALTY in main course.

Very tasty restaurant. I had the chicken and waffles, which was fantastic, but can also say the Mac and cheese side is a definite must. Fish and chips was good too. The bartender gave generous pours. I was here on the early side with the fam, so no wait, but it was definitely picking up by the time we left. I would love to come back and try the catfish!

Bartender inattentive ... hardly noticed me and that's fine but how couldnt he see the two Beautiful ladies I was sitting between..finally got 3 drinks (37 minutes after being seated) with no alcohol..Calamari greasy and undercooked

They don't skip on the liquor in the drinks and the food was very good very knowledgeable staff about everything on the menu and friendly.

Best place in Harlem with the best soul food... I love the staff, food and drinks... When you have staff that is great, pleasant and happy your business will always have great success....

Quaint uptown West Harlem vibe great menu and staff

Food came on time hot and as ordered
We will be back.

Awesome food, wonderful experience! Everything was finger licking good.

The place could be bigger but the fried chicken and eggnog waffles are delish

Go with the Chicken & Waffles, it's their specialty!!

The food is great and I love to dine there. I understood we are dealing with a pandemic, but service needs to improve.

I came here for brunch with the kids today, and it was A-OK! Great service, awesome food. I positively would come back here and will probably make this one of our regular places.

The food was decent and the atmosphere was inviting.

Going to Melba's was pure Southern Comfort!! I recently visited for brunch and Loved it! I made a reservation to play it safe, but if you arrive early enough you shouldn't have a problem getting a table. The food was exquisite. I ordered Melba's Cinnamon Raisin French toast to start. It was light, flavorful and delicious. My wife ordered what I should have ordered... the smothered chicken and eggnog waffles. The chicken, smothered in Deliciousness aka gravy, fell off the bone. It was amazing!! Just writing this review, I can taste it now. The staff was friendly, the atmosphere relaxed... With Family around you and great food to eat, You can't ask for much more! We had a great time!! Oh and for you art collectors out there, Melba's is currently exhibiting her prized art piece in the restaurant. It is the sequel to Maurizio Cattelan s "Comedian" - Waffle ducted on the wall. I'd call it "Chef". It's for A LIMITED TIME ONLY!! GO CHECK IT OUT Hahaha

Yesterday I had the prime rib which was a little tough. My meal was $32 which was fine but I was expecting my prime rib to come with the bone or maybe a little more food.Or wasn't worth $32 dollars. Maybe I will try something different next time. Collard greens needed seasoning

Best soul food! The mac n cheese is out of this world!!

Nice spot to snack on tasty bites as you talk it up with the loved ones !

Went here for a birthday dinner and I had a great time and we even met the owner who was super friendly and the whole dinning room sang happy birthday to the bday girl will go back for sure

The food was really really good, the drinks were Amaze Balls. There was a slight problem with the checks at the end of the night. It was dealt with but not handled as well as it could be.

I don't know if it was because I had high expectations but the food that I ordered was bland (chicken &waffles). My son fries were under cook I had to send it back. The fried calamari was super oily, my family said that the yam was good and the ribs. I Also tasted the mac and cheese and and the strawberries lemonade and they were delicious. They do have a amazing service here and the place is very cozy. Not coming back though.

Ok, there is a reason she beat Bobby Flay in the Throwdown.... This food was superb. The staff is the best. We felt like family. Also, best birthday song ever

Good food Just the wait is very long On the weekend

Great service. Legitimate southern comfort food. Has waffle fries. Highly recommend the mash potatoes + chicken and waffles (cones with strawberry butter which is a delicious sweet treat).

Food was very flavorful and only one drink needed. Great experience! Oh don't skip dessert, it's not pictured because it didn't last long enough, but I had the pound cake.

They still have outside seating if your into that kind of thing. The food was remarkable, but no ambiance. This is definitely a nice spot to have a bite with your "bae" or your girl/guy friends. Drinks were $14, desserts $6... the mac n cheese bites and catfish that my date had was mouth watering, so was the lemonade, the sweet potatoes pie OOOOOOMMMMMMGGGGOSH!!!! Better than Patti Labelles from Walmart! I would go there again for sure.

We love the food which is reasonably priced and delicious, the portions are sizable too. We also love the Tuesday Open Mic, there is a fair amount of very talented people who show to perform.

Starting from left to right, Happy Hour Menu & Appetizers Mon - Fri 5-7pm, patron shots, catfish freshly maid/Mini Burgers, veggie spring rolls/catfish & Rose In Harlem Drink.

Every Tuesday Night around 8pm live band performance.

Always great to eat at Melba s. She was even there that evening greeting and directing customers to their tables. I love black-owned businesses and Melba s doesn t disappoint.

Great for a date or even just going out with friends. Good drinks and great southern comfort food. I truly enjoy the extra space she has now. No longer a long wait for seating. If you have a reservation, go a little earlier to find parking on the street.

Favorite items on the menu: Melba s spring rolls, catfish, smothered chicken and Strawberry Hennessy drink. Melba s signature chicken and eggnog waffles are amazing too.

You won t be let down at her establishment. Go enjoy.

Service has definitely improved but the food was just ok.

Saturday brunch is definitely a hit at Melba's. Food is good, space is a little tight but overall a good experience, nice music, and good bar. Will definitely be back!

The chicken wings and red velvet cake are to die for

Food and service was great. Go early to get seated right away for Saturday mornings. You won't be disappointed.

Excellent food. Excellent service. We cleared our plates!! Must wait to visit again. I had to look in the kitchen to see if my Grandma was back there cooking!! Loved the food. Staff was great too.

Some of the best comfort food in the city. You can t go wrong with the Mac and Cheese.

For a couple of Aussies craving a nice authentic dining experience this hit the bullseye!! Food was great and service was off the charts good, it's a shame we have to go home.

This place was VERY far to get to, but the sweet potato pancakes and chicken and eggnog waffles were worth the trek. I put a 4 since I was 50/50 on service. The girl in front was amazing, but the server wasn't friendly and I had to ask other people for what I needed multiple times. That being said, the food is great.

The food is not as good as it used to be. It seems as though with the expansion of the reataurant, the quality went down.

My Family and I went to Sunday Brunch and it was the best! It was so good we came back with 15 more family members and MELBA did her thing!. She is a Super Hero to me and my family!. Wonder Women! She pulled staff and Food to make sure we had a wonderful time. Songs of praise were sung and we just had a wonderful time. I would love to send a heart felt thank you out to all of her staff and the best cooks in Harlem. For Raine as the best Hostess ever. They remembered my family and showed so much love as well as the people who waited with us for Melba. Melba I love you and your Place. For that price we would never get a better deal ever. God Bless!

Cozy place. Food was great service was even better.

Melba's is always great. Food is amazing, drinks are priced well. Just be prepared for a wait.

Ordered food for my wedding, they forgot about my order in my wedding day and delivered my food not fully cooked. They told my I'd received a gift card in the mail for the inconvenience.... That never arrived either.

Support Black Owned Business!!! Absolutely Amazing Customer Service, Amazing Fried Chicken, Crab Cakes and Butter Cake... oh let s not forget my bar items... Thanks so much for your Incredible Customer Service..

Home cooked food and I didn't have to do any dishes!

Great atmosphere and friendly staff. The best red velvet cake but has ruined all other cake I try!

Wonderful time here! We loved the food and drinks! Try a Sexy sangria!

Amazing fried chicken, collared greens and Mac & cheese. Ordered through delivery service. Looking forward to dining in.