Melrose Diner Reviews

We don't really have diners in New Hampshire so this visit was a real nostalgic treat. It was our first stop after we arrived in Philly. The food was only about average but the experience was fun.

Everybody who knows, goes to the Melrose. Always a great Breakfast spot as well as the lunch specials

I found this place while trying a CVS. The food is very good and yummy. I had the fish dinner. The prices are reasonable

Two eggs over easy with well done homefries and scrapple....

The Melrose Diner has been serving their neighbors in South Philly for generations. The quality of food never varies. It's perfect. The waitresses will remember your name after the first time you have been there. The Melrose feels like home because it IS home to everyone in the Tri-county area. Stop there for coffee or a meal. You will not be disappointed.

Oh my where do. I start. The food wad just ok. The service was slow. I was so surprised to see. So small amount of people in there. Back in the day it was a booming place. You knew u had to wait in line cause the food was so good people came from all over. Sorry to say i would not waste my time. Going there

As I said great brkfast n lunch spot. I went for dinner a few nights back. I had my heart set on an item, no longer on the full menu it's featured sometimes the waitress said. I ordered a pettit filet -sold out lamb chops -sold out & one other item. It was 8pm I guess they had a big dinner crowd. I took a chicken parm. Dryed and hard on one end (removed that piece) and the rest was a bit chewy. Well I packed it up my husband will eat the leftovers. Side note: Minestrone soup was good pasta a bit to mushy but flavor & contents where yummy. 3 out of 5 for me just middle of the road. I was a waitress in my day, I've worked 4-star places & banquet catering but I got my start at Diners. My waitress seemed to distracted a fellow worker of hers assisted our table a couple times. It was steady but by no means busy in there. Maybe her section was full idk.

I walked in with my child and three staff members just looked at me.. One woman who sat at the bar area texting, finally said, sit where you want. I scanned the restaurant looking for an area to place a To go order. The woman who greeted me there was friendly and welcoming. I ordered my daughters desert and it was ready within a few minutes. I thank her because she was the only positive thing about our visit.. The brownie was dry and taste old. The walnuts on top of it seemed old? My daughter didn't eat it. And the old fashion rice pudding was bland and not enjoyable.

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!

if i could give it a negative i would have !!So i went to the Diner and ate on a Sunday, me and the person i was with split the bill. by Wednesday it cleared. I checked my bank statement and they charged me the whole amount ! i kept my copy. i printed out my bank statement and took my copy of my receipt back to Melrose. 1st off i asked to speak to the manager to clear up the issue of them over charging me. the old red headed lady at the front said oh hon she'll be out. i mean she didn't even go and get her. So i wait, then she comes out. the manager is the rudest manager i have ever encountered! hands down. instead of saying i apologize for our mistake, she tells me to go and get my friends copy of her receipt. even though my receipt clearly states part of the charge and not the whole amount. then she tells me it doesn’t matter what my receipt says. WHAT are you kidding me !!!your place of business made the mistake. i have the customer copy which means the merchant has a merchant copy. so i told her why don't you look at the person before me she was charged the correct amount and i told them her name. Then says you have an attitude i told her let me speak to someone else. she says i'll call them. she comes back and asks me to leave my credit card number and my name... do you think i would leave my credit card number AFTER they over charged me to begin with !! i don't think so needless to say i will never eat there ever again. if you split the bill with someone look at your bank statements they will over charge you and then it is a hassle to get your money back !!! be advised.

The Melrose diner is famous for it's butter layered cake.. but we're from Holland so that much butter is WAY too much for us but nonetheless it was good, the service was great and we had pancakes, waffles, French toast and bacon and eggs everything was delicious! We even tried scrapple definitely coming back again soon.

We were a large group and they were very accommodating, opening a section so we could all sit together. There is a wide variety of food and everyone was happy. Special mention to the milkshakes which put smiles on a lot of faces. Portions were very generous. Salad was excellent, with fresh ingredients and dressing. Burgers and eggs are always good at diners, and this was no exception. Chicken francese was excellent. Go here for a traditional diner experience.

Dining in the evening with family visiting from Louisiana. Had to make sure that the South Philly Melrose Diner experience was included in the things to do! The fish was fabulous, the steak sensational, and pasta perfection! We laughed, feasted, and enjoyed the inviting atmosphere. Wait staff was attentive. Positive comments all around!!

Not half as good since the original owners sold it approx 10yrs ago. I just cant accept the food is no where near the same or as good

Good place to stop after viewing the Xmas light displays in south Philadelphia. Service was excellent; food was mediocre. Note that off street parking is available on one side of the diner

Came here on a recommendation of a friend while in town and found a Diamond in the rough. The meal I ordered had to much spice for my taste so I just asked to get another meal not a replacement and the Manager came over and said no problem they will replace it she said there is nothing wrong with not likening something and even gave a free deserts. This is very rare to happen. I totally recommend coming here.

Open 24-hours, this huge diner brings back past memories. The menu is relatively large and the food is at least one step above diner food. Service is friendly and fast. Salads (e.g.; the chef salad) are enough for two people. The neighborhood is interesting with many small shops starting two blocks away (past Broad Street). If you're looking for a place for breakfast, lunch or dinner (and a peak into the past), it's worth a trip. The Melrose Diner is only a 12 minute drive from Center City and they have their own lot and there is metered parking as well. Hope this review helps you decide!

Not a place to go out of your way for, but if you are here for awhile, this is a real South Philly late night hangout. Darn good food for 4am when needed. If you want to try scrapple, good place to give it a go. I love it. Their salads are surprisingly good.

Our visit to Melrose Diner was exactly what I expected - a classic diner experience with delicious breakfast food. We got cinnamon rolls to go. They were fantastic. The diner was within walking distance from our AirBnB. I would have gone back if we had time.

BLAH.

This dinner has been around as long as i have been driving ( prior to 1970 ) but no matter what you order you'll be impressed with what you are served. Did i mention the pastries ? Too die for. No matter what a pie, cake or their cheese cake ( another thing to die for ). I have never heard anyone complain about it's taste cause it is 5 star good. One other interesting aspect the booths are split in two so you face total.strangers and a conversation always gets started. Another clever idea. Stop by & try it !!!

Husband and I stopped for breakfast last Saturday. Tables were full so we sat at the counter. An extremely miserable elderly waitress with short blonde hair threw 2 menus at us and took off. She came back ten minutes later with her pad and pencil—still no smile, no hello, no nothing—and took our order. We got omelets, coffee and toast. Sometime later our breakfast arrived—both omelets burnt and no toast. Awhile later the toast came out—cold. When I asked for jelly she rolled her eyes and went looking under the counter. After she found the jelly she proceeded to talk to a customer next to us to complain loudly about a personal matter. The whole experience was terrible. Food was barely edible and service was beyond awful. Never again.

While on a business trip, I was recommended by a friend to come by and pick up some butter cookies for him. I ended up staying for dinner. Located in South Philly, it has a classic East Coast diner look. The French onion soup was good and not too salty, and it appears some Parmesan cheese was added on top for extra flavor. The stuffed cabbage was also very good & filling, with a nice ground beef & rice stuffing & flavorful sauce. The cookies were also nice!

We are not used to diners and with 8 (4 adults, 4 kids) in our party, we had to wait a little while for a booth to open up on Sunday late morning/ early afternoon. There are definitely regulars and the staff knows them, which seemed really nice since we were from out of town and the place stayed busy the whole time we were there. The service was good and accommodating since we waited a while. There is limited off street parking and meters all around. It was a good experience and we'd go back if we were in the neighborhood. I would recommend it!

Born and raised in South Philly, visited this restaurant at least once a week for 30 years. Not to mention all the late-night stops as a teenager. Took my grandkids and family back to share memories and great food like the MP1 and MP3 Swiss potato soup, and hot apple pie with vanilla sauce never got this Anywhere But Here but unfortunately it's not there anymore it's not the same recipes something different I'm not saying the food was unavailable it just wasn't whatever remember nowhere near as good just typical diner food now

If you want a throwback to the 50's diner experience, the Melrose Diner is your kind of place. The menu is extensive, and nothing is expensive. The food is, well, diner food, but there's a lot of it. Every kind of comfort food you ever wanted, the Melrose Diner has. The service was great, too. It's open (and serves breakfast) 24/7. Don't pass up on the scrapple!

We miss Philadelphia diners. Lived here 25 years ago. Visiting from OR, had to hit a diner. Lunch at the Melrose was GREAT. Food was served quickly and hot. I had the sausage parm hoagie, my wife the mac & cheese, both delicious.

We stopped and had breakfast there and I'd say the food was good as was the service, but not exceptional. My friend had the corned beef hash and said it was good. My scrambled eggs were fine, but it's hard to mess that up. It took us a bit to get waited on, but when we did, the waitress was efficient, but not overly friendly. Lots of locals there (we were not locals), so maybe that had something to do with it. Not easy to find a parking space around the diner.

Melrose is a longtime, late-night institution on deep South Broad St (at Snyder Ave). There is a tiny private parking lot in front of the diner, and street parking all around. The food is ok, and always has been. They do not aspire toward hipster greatness, but revel in their blue collar consistency. There are hundreds of better dining options in this foodie city, but Melrose is a comfortable, inexpensive throw-back to relax and experience the 60s without even trying to be retro. They sell their butter cookies which are just ok to my palate but must have their fans as they sell a lot, at the diner and around town.

Let me start off by saying I have never dined here. Never tried the food before. I will however attest to the 5 star butter cream cake my staff got for me this week. Fantastic. I have never had such a creamy rich cake in my entire life. I would go there to try this cake again.

We have been here several times and have always had a very pleasant experience. The food is good, the portions are very good. There is also bar services and they have a very nice dessert selection for take out as well.

The waitresses are awesome. The food, well what I had, was mediocre. My son had chicken tenders and fries. His chicken tenders looked really authentic. My daughter had the grilled cheese and fries. Her grilled cheese was made with white cheddar and I had to taste. It was really good. Hubby had a French onion soup, chicken salad sandwich on wheat and onion rings. His onion rings were so greasy. He had to blot each one with a napkin. We split his French onion soup and it was good but Broad Street Diner's is better. I had a spinach and feta omelette, wheat toast, hash browns and a side of French toast. My hash browns could have been cooked harder. The omelette was just okay. The French toast was REAL good. It's an okay place with great service. *TIP* - if you don't park in their lot but on the street, please be sure to check your meter. Philly meter workers are crazy. I was almost given a ticket for a broken meter.

Yes, finally a diner keeping with tradition. Old time SOS, that's Creamed Chipped beef on Toast, Scrapple, and great baked goods. Call your Cholesterol Doctor before you go, you'ss need him after.

There are very few restaurants in Philly that can accommodate a large group, especially on short notice. The Melrose Diner gave us the entire counter section in half the restaurant. There were 18 of us. It helped that business was a bit slow at the time, I suppose. The service was excellent and the food ranged from OK to excellent, depending on the item ordered. My daughter was less than thrilled with her Ruben and one son thought his item was just OK, but my chicken francaise was excellent, though the sauce in my spaghetti side dish didn't have much flavor. People who got salads and some other items were generally pleased as well. This was my first visit here, but I will definitely keep it in mind for future trips to Philly.

This Philadelphia institution doesn't fail to please. The breakfast, whether eggs, waffles or omlettes were delicious, especially with a thick slice of Scrapple--those not raised in the Delaware Valley chose sausage. A signs saying "Seat Yourself" would have been best, but the wait staff were all busy. As a historical note, this 24 hour diner is especially hopping after the bars close at 2 AM, and people watching then is a great diversion.

Food is OK, server was nice but the manager and cashier were terrible, rude people. I will never go back and will tell everyone I know to never go there. Thumbs all the way down.

I have been doing to the diner since the 1950's. Still lots of good food at a reasonable price. Would go there more often if I still lived in Philly.

My wife and I love this place. Large and excellent breakfasts featuring omelets as you like them, fluffy pancakes and excellent coffee. BUT, you must try the pastry that is baked on premise including a strawberry cake that makes you want a lot more than one slice. Sinful! There's a reason why this place has lasted many years.

"Everyone knows goes to Melrose" is an advertising jingle locals know. This large classic stainless steel diner in South Philadelphia is open 24 hours a day. The menu is extensive. Service is excellent and the waitresses are the best. Unfortunately, the food is mediocre. I ordered a hot roasted turkey sandwich with gravy and it was loaded with M.S.G. I'm hoping that the new owner will bring back the restaurant to it's former glory.

Going to Phillies game, (horrible team), getting some food at non-stadium prices. Always go for breakfast and never disappointed. Rest of the group had burgers and home made pie. Service was good, but slow by Melrose standards. Got a place to park out front, a miracle. A diner is a diner, but the Melrose is Philly history.

Went for dinner but I got an omelette while others in the group got sandwiches. Food was OK - nothing over and above what you'd get at most diners. Service could've been better considering it wasn't very busy. Not sure what any fuss is about, actually. Maybe actual breakfast time is better.

I used to eat at the Melrose quite often growing up nearby so I decided to try it again during a recent visit. While the outside and some of the inside looks the same, the food and service quality has gone downhill. The food used to taste homemade and was very fresh, now it is just average and nothing to brag about or tell anybody else about. Servcie used to be so good, you were waited on hand and foot. Now, you struggle to get someone's attention at times. The place used to generate such buzz due to the excellent food and service there would be a line at most times. Not when I visited. The place seems to have gone the same as many other places - cut costs to the point where the place is no longer noteworthy and deserving of the buzz of yester year. It used to be that everyone went to the Melrose and was envious of anybody who did. Now it is no longer that special place to be.

Basic food served efficiently and at a great price. Sounds like the formula for a good meal! Love the Cherry Pie!!

Lived in the Philadelphia area for 15 years and this was our first visit to Melrose Diner. A very wide selection of breakfast foods although I did not think it was any different from almost any other diner. Prices were reasonable. Service on a Sunday morning was surprisingly good. Would recommend Melrose for first time visitors to the area.

I stopped by for breakfast with a group of friends and was delighted with the diner. It was definitely a blue collar place, with good quality food and decent prices. Yum!

My husband and I stop here every Black Friday morning on our way out. We choose here first because of the history of it, second because of the great location and of course because the food is plentiful and delicious. The restaurant is always clean and kept up. We like to sit up at the counter versus a booth, although there's plenty of both. Our waitress was Tammy, who promptly greeted us and was so friendly. We really enjoyed her. The portions are large and everything is cooked to perfection. It also comes out in a timely manner every time. I ordered the two eggs with potatoes (tons of potatoes), toast, and 4 strips of bacon. You will not leave hungry! For both of our large breakfasts, it came out to $15. On site parking is available, which we always get. However, if you miss that, there's plenty of street parking around.

I love my waitresses (Salma, Marva, Lucile.. And I forget the other girl's name..) but the food quality needs to be improved accross the board. The daytime manager walks around and kind of treats her coworkers like they are inferior. But it doesn't seem to negatively affect the waitresses enthusiasm thankfully.. I won't give up on this place though. It has tons of potential! And some stuff is still very good. (Eggs for breakfast, burgers for lunch are great, and the MP-1 are still top dishes!) Come on new owners! Get it together!

The service was excellent Waite staff was very attentive. The place was still busy for off hours as is usually the case. The food just wasn't the standard of the past.

This diner is a Philadelphia institution. The diner itself is huge with tables and many counter seats. Service is friendly, efficient and child-friendly. Portions are large and everyone in our party (including 8-year-old twins) loved their meals. This is not a gourmet restaurant. But, service is great, it's immaculate, and menu choices are large. It's open 24-hours. It's more than worth a stop for lunch or for a very inexpensive dinner. Hope this review helps!

After listening to their catchy radio jingle for years we traveled from the "burbs" to South Philly only to be disappointed. The menu had a good selection, however, the food was average. Prices were reasonable and service was okay but in anb area with multiple great restaurants we expected something really great.

Very Good Food! The Price is very right here! With the dinner special meals! Great Service! You can get a great meal for under 20$!

Great comfort food is what you want when you are tired from all the running around you do on a trip away from home. A great go to is the Melrose Diner. The menu has good variety including bbq ribs, chicken and stuffing, turkey with stuffing and cranberry sauce, and fish. Soup, different every day, or salad comes with some meals. Good selection of veggies to go with the meal. I had ribs, split pea soup, cream of tomato soup, pickled beets, string beans in tomato sauce, saurerkraut for the two days I ate there. All really good. Service was very good. Local diner. Free parking.

My brother, friends and I stop by here for lunch and the waitress was courteous, friendly and respectful. There was no wait

Stopped for lunch with my girlfriend and my granddaughter my granddaughter ordered a Cheesesteak and Fries looksed really good I got the chicken croquettes with spinach and sweet potatoes very very good little light on the gravy but I'm sure if I asked for more they would have given it to me. My girlfriend got the French onion soup she said it was good never saw it with Paprika before I think that would have thrown off the taste for me but it looks very cheesy and oniony. She also got the nachos loaded I had a little bit of that that was very good. We ordered dessert and got the brownie sundae that was very tasty and I got a piece of chocolate cake to go overall it was a great experience and now I can say I've been there. I would definitely go back again. Oh PS I tried the chocolate cake when I came home and I am a snob when it comes to sweets and I have to say it was kind of dry and the icing was average nothing that said wow.

I've been going here before eagles games for decades; it's a landmark worth cherishing. New owner or not, it's worth a trip any morning.

Good bakery

We enjoyed good food for good price, and left with leftovers for lunch the next day. Loved the dinner feel for years ago. We had a great waitress that was very attentive. We enjoyed it so much we returned for a second meal during our visit to Philly

waitress service was good, however the food was subpar, i ordered a new york strip steak with mash potatoes and broccoli , the mash was served luke warm i may had a 1/2 teaspoon of gravy on them and both the mash and broccoli where bland, the steak i ordered medium rare , one end was med rare, the middle was rare and the other end was well done . my son didn't like his chicken fingers or fries , the decor is way outdated and the booths are falling apart, not to mention the waitresses are both waitress and bus boy so the booth we originally wanted was dirty. it's a shame to see what was once a famous diner with great food go down the crapper . i still remember the commercial for this place playing on the tv when i was a kid.

Great diner food! Service was very good. Had dinner with our 8 year old and she loved it! The cake was delicious!

I've been here a handful of times and every time I go, no matter what I order, there's always enough left over to take some home. Every time I go I try something different and everything I've tried has been really good. At my most recent visit, I took my nieces and nephew. They can get pretty loud, but the staff was really friendly and even gave them a cookie before we left.

Visited solely based on the title of a Wonder Years song, and wasn’t disappointed. The staff was extremely kind and quick, the food was delicious, and the portions were generous! Possibly one of the cleanest restaurants I’ve ever eaten in! Highly recommend!!!

Can always count on a true home style meal with lively conversations around the counter . The Best waitresses. Great breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Especially good for late nite snack.

Service is good and timely. I go every so often. It has been there for many years, and has been consistent.

We had a late dinner and desert and talked for hours. The staff was pleasant, helpful and not at all pushy. In the heart of South Philly, you will be immersed in it's rich history just getting there.

This is a very very local place that had been around forever. I did enjoy my food but nothing about thr place stood out to me. It was nice to see the locals come in and immediately greet eachother like a big local family. It did get busy pretty quick and service was quick. I would visit again if I was in the area but I would not go out my way if there is another diner closer. It was not bad but it was not a “wow” either.

I love The Melrose Dinner. All of them. As I kid my dad took me there all the time. He had eggs & pancakes; I had a cheeseburger. But Melrose was about 3 blocks west of where it is now. Just a Trolley Car circa 1955. AND I was told that wasn't the original. But old or new, I love the Melrose. Frank DiElsi

This place is what I expected, a Diner. My time there was great. The two of us got opposite sides of the spectrum. I got Dinner prime rib medium rare and the other got a Cajun chicken panini. The food was good. My prime rib was tend like a m/r steak but not but the slightest hit of red. This was disappointing but this is a Diner. The other persons panini was great. They loved the sandwich and it looked great. But, this is a Diner. I will probably go back again.

I have been attending Melrose for many years and was always satisfied with the items I purchase. However, today was not good because of the brown sauces they slipped on the hot apple pie. I called and they had me on hold so I hung up and the same person answer the phone and said that they switched from white to brown on occasions. It was at that point that I was livet and just said good-by.

Stopped here after an afternoon doctors appointment for my children. When I walked in we were just standing there so I had to ask someone do we seat ourselves although someone was right at the counter. After we sat we were greeted by our waitress promptly. The service was fast, the food was good nothing special average diner food. Everyone was really friendly to my children. The desserts my children ordered 2 chocolate cake slices and one butter cream slice was nasty. It tasted cold and stale even my children didn't eat it and they never turn away from chocolate cake! I had a slice of cheesecake which was ok. Again edible but nothing special. The saving grace for me was our waitress she was attentive, friendly, and very helpful. My 9 year old said mom she's awesome. Excellent customer service and for this week will return again.

I saw three employees when I picked up my take-out order. One had a mask. The cashier and the cook were not wearing them. Their website says they are following CDC guidelines, but I don’t see how that’s possible. It’s disrespectful to customers and dangerous.

Traditional haunt for tipsy folks leaving Center City bars, Sunday breakfast crowd, sleep-deprived students and neighborhood faithful.good food, hefty portions, quick, efficient, good-humored service are highlights. Parking nearby is not, and meters and local parking bureau cops are profit-focused, so be alert.

The Melrose has been around forever and hasn;t changed much in all the years i've been going there. The Melrose is better then most of the diners around, good wholesome food, with service to match

I came back after 30 years of living away from South Philadelphia. I had to try the Melrose for lunch since I was nearby. I was told by one of the many regulars that the owners have changed - but the atmosphere has not changed much. Still a great old diner. Same friendly waitresses. Menu somewhat updated but still a great diner menu. I had a bowl of good split pea soup ad a sandwich with grilled chicken mozzarella, onions and peppers with fries for under $12 including the coffee. Great sandwich. Good fries. Good food.

"Everybody who knows, goes to Melrose! Still a great neighborhood diner with a wide variety of food available all day long!!

Great that they have a lot of options on the menu. Diners in Philly and NJ are great. Most delicious Vegetable soup. 5 people in our group all ages, all were happy and satisfied.