Melba's New York - Buy Reservations

Flew in for a few days from Florida and couldn’t wait to eat at melbas based on reviews and just overall buzz through the years ..soon as we landed we headed there we had made reservations lucky we did bcz it was packed - we got seated immediately which was a great sign hopes were high!! 😊 there was no AC inside the restaurant…it was almost 90degrees in NYC …our server showed up maybe at about 10 minutes …by that time my husband had went to the bar to place drink orders he got back after 25 minutes and said no one had been able yo take care of him bcz the bar tenders were taking orders outside … … we ordered fried shrimp crab cakes and hot wings … shrimp were excellent , crab cake was terrible very doughy and had no crab, the wings were basically fried with hot sauce pour on top not even mixed the hot sauce was on like 2 out of the 5 wings … jar Hotsauce which also tasted terrible , … entree was fried snapper , fried chicken collards and Mac and cheese —- fried chicken was ok but 2 pieces only , fried fish was extremely greasy 3 of us ordered it and none finished it ; and it was a piece the size of my palm (trust me that’s not big) … locals sitting next to us started chatting and said since the pandemic service has been declining , she said usually they have the AC off and may turn it on for Saturday which is when a lot of tourist show up ! We were very dissatisfied even if the service isn’t great we can look past that due to shortages after the pandemic - but to be a famous soul food place your food has to be up to par, that’s non negotiable ! They should take less people and take the time to cook the food properly you can’t be packed and not be equipped to handle large crowds …. They have to do better 🗽🍎😩

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This was my first visit to NYC from Baltimore, MD in over 20 years. This time I brought my husband and granddaughter! First the location is excellent as it’s only about two blocks from the subway. The outdoor seating was ample and very nice since there were booths that were covered as well as tables that were not and it was on the side of the building so you weren’t in direct sun. I had made a reservation a few days before going and I was allowed to reserve outdoor seating as well. When We arrived I went inside to let the host know we were there and they had us on the schedule. The two people I first met and I’m sorry that I didn’t get their names because they were professional and friendly were a slim built young lady and a tall slim man with braids. We were seated immediately and offered a choice of booth or table. Our reservation was for 1:00 pm on June 7 by the way. Our waiter appeared and brought a paper with a QR code on it. We didn’t know what to do with that. And he returned and explained that we could use our phones to see the menu with the QR code. We weren’t familiar so he showed us how and we placed our order. Drinks came out promptly as well as food. I believe our waiters name was DUQUAN. I’m not sure of the spelling. He was very pleasant and explained and answered any questions we had. I had the fried chicken dark meat with waffle and strawberry butter. The waffle was melt in your mouth delicious!!! The fried chicken leg was fried to perfection —crispy outside and seasoned and moist inside. No need to add salt or pepper!!! My husband had the shrimp dish and we both ordered the collard greens. He said his shrimp were delicious and they were a good size. The sides were large and the greens were tender and well seasoned. My granddaughter had the mac and cheese entree. It was so super cheesy and marvelous!!! My only regret is that I could not get the oxtails only because I had no more room in my belly!!!! We were constantly checked on by all staff members including an older gentleman whose name I don’t know as well as the first two people I met inside when I first got there!!! I WAS SO IMPRESSED!!! Finally. the bathroom was very clean! BE SURE TO PUT THIS RESTAURANT ON YOUR LIST WHEN VISITING NYC!!!! My review is all PROS and I had no CONS! If I could rate them more than 10 stars I would!

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Very lively & friendly restaurant run by American African. Love the ambience & the friendly crowd. Love the southern fried chicken & eggnog waffle. The beef rib was super tender , it is a must try. They have unique cocktails too, the Strawberry Hennessy was very special . We came here during Mother’s Day & I was given a stalk of red rose. :)

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A friend recommended that I try Melba’s during my visit. So happy she did. We loved it. Very close to our hotel and my family we were visiting in Harlem. We arrived about 3pm so no big lunch crowd. I’m a restaurant owner so I try and go after lunch when dining during the day. We were greeted and seated and drink orders taken. Server took food order and food returned quickly. My niece had the fried chicken breast quarter with garlic potatoes and macaroni and cheese. She said the mac and cheese almost topped mine and that’s saying something. I ordered the red wine braised short ribs with collard greens and ASAP yams. Ribs were fork tender and greens had a little spicy bite. Yams were very good too. We both enjoyed our meals and the portions were very nice. Definitely recommend them if in the area.

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Maybe she's overwhelmed, who knows. Our waitress was very nice and accommodating. She definitely got that 20% tip. The ambiance nice. Good upbeat music. The place had a at home dining room look. There was a line going into this place. Reservations is a must if you want to eat here. The collard greens was sweet and spicy 5/10. I've had better. The Mac and cheese was seasoned, gluey, and too a la dente as someone said 4/10. The fried chicken was partially cold, dry, not that flavorful. It was a breast with an attached wing but I've had juicier pieces of white meat before 0/10. To be honest I can't trust restaurants who always advertising their establishments on tv.

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Came right when they opened on a Saturday for brunch with a friend, and the service was stellar. Our server recommended the crab cakes, which we got as an appetizer and were delicious.But the main event!! The chicken skin was so crispy and flavorful, and the meat itself was juicy. The waffle was real fluffy, and the strawberry butter was perfect.I'm from California, so I always just get chicken & waffles at Roscoe's. This was 100x better, can't even compare!

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