Mel`s Cafe in Charlottesville

Their stewed tomatoes is awesome and the food taste like its home cooked!

There is NOTHING bad to say about Mel's Cafe. I have yet to try a menu item that I didn't like. My favorite is their fried fish and they have the BEST fried chicken!!! Everything is fresh and homemade!!! Also I go on Fridays for their chitterlings. If you haven't tried Mel's, you are definitely missing out!!! All of my experiences there have been AWESOME!!!

Best place for burger in Charlottesville. Cheap and delicious burger with high quality. People are friendly and they are always pleasure to make you quality food. The environment may not as great as some of the fancy burger place in town, but they do have a lovely environment for meal.

Great service. Best food in Charlottesville hands down. I'd recommend anyone to go there.

I love this place! They have wonderful home cooking and they know how to do it. If you haven't given them a try, then you are missing out. They have great food at a great price. The best burgers in rown.

I'm LOVING MEL'S! Extensive menu, homestyle food, and prices that will make your jaw drop... in a good way! The place is right in the sprawl of C-ville, so if you don't park on the street, be on the lookout for paid parking. It's a small, quaint, and cozy spot (7 tables + outdoor seating), that you may miss if you're not paying attention! The staff is polite, the food is quick and the refills are free! Can't go wrong with Mel's!

This place was absolutely awesome! The homemade burgers, the French fries, the onion rings, the lemonade and did I mention the homemade burgers? I'm from Chicago and is yearning to find a location that even remotely resembles this quaint cafe. I don't think one exists. Absolutely loved it.

No nonsense Southern cooking! Delicious food great service

Hot food great service excellent food at a inexpensive price friendly atmosphere to be in very family-friendly

Service was poor, but that's not why you go here. Food is inexpensive and the fried chicken is nearly the best in town (some might prefer Wayside's, but at that point it's splitting hairs).

The mac and cheese was incredible; cooked just as the Soul Food gods intended. Nothing special about the fried chicken. It was not bad, but it was not incredible, either. Fries were good, the cornbread was spectacular. The desserts, though? The less said, the better.Bathrooms were spotless.Certainly recommend a stop in, but I would give the desserts a miss.

Awesome southern food for good valueSuggestion: mix lemonade and iced tea and get potato salad

Excellent food and unbelievably good prices considering how good it is! Very nice and kind management and chefs as well.

The prices are great. The hours are convenient. The food is amazing! Try the corn bread, the fries, burgers and the pork chop sandwich! It's a small spot but it's always occupied by hungry, friendly people!

Delicious home cooking. Even better service. The grill donuts are amazing!

Best BBQ ribs in town. This is an amazing "hole in the wall" kind of diner and always reminds me of Freddy's from House of Cards. Once you are done with your rewarding main course, be sure to try out the fried donut with ice cream. Oh sweet gluttony.

I can't say how much I loved this little home-like place. Soul food served by Mel himself with a familiar vibe and many regulars coming in and greeting each other.

I love Mel's Cafe.. I've been going there for over 20 yrs.. Their food is awesome.. You have to wait a few minutes for your food.. . but its worth the wait. And you can also call your order in so it will be ready when you get there.. Once again this place is awesome.....

Amazing food and southern service

Best friend potatoes I have ever had! Everything was super!!

Great customer service and great tasting food! The staff treats the customers like family.

Great food and service. Price is right.

The food was very tasty.

Very friendly! We were driving by Charlottesville on 64, and it was worth getting off the highway. Service was quick and food was delicious and hit the spot for our lunch! Bonus, outdoor seating, so we could take our food and sit outside with our dog and stretch our legs before getting back on the road.

Wow!! Decided to give this place a try for dinner while staying overnight in Charlottesville. This is real Southern soul food. We had fried chicken and fried shrimp dinners with mac and cheese on the side. Excellent portions for reasonable prices. The food is outstanding; chicken was juicy, vegetable sides tasty. The mac and cheese was homemade. This is a real gem in town. Totally worth the about 20 minutes to get our food! Give it a try. You will not be disappointed!

A place with alot of character and good vibes. Serves one of the best burgers I've ever had. All of that for a very low price. I approve.

I like when a casual American place has history to it. You can tell how little this place has changed since it opened 50+ years ago. It's got a decent burger, to.

Love this café! The food is great and The prices are fantastic. Mel and his wife are always super friendly!

Delicious comfort food!! And unbelievably kind service! I felt like I was eating at my Grandfathers house. ❤Cant wait to go back and try more!!!

Family run business with a wide variety of food on the menu from breakfast, and lunch, to dinner. Served all day long. The owners and staff are as friendly as you'll find, making the cafe spot feel like home. Amazing food, reasonable prices, great hourswonderful people

Great classic diner food and friendly people. A nice place to stop in town.

We are heading home from Baltimore and decided to goggle good places to eat. This place is amazing. Small place with seating inside and outside. Such friendly service and the meal was amazing and very affordable. We never have dessert at restaurants but someone recommended the fried-donuts and they were out if this world. I recommend this place if you are looking for some great homemade cooking.

Who doesn’t love the small hole in the wall restaurant? This is the kind of place you walk by and can’t help but eat at. They had me with their sign that says “best burger in town.” Is that true? I would argue that it’s one of the best bangs for your buck, but the fresh homemade burger was absolutely delicious. I’ve seen some rude owners with some of these smaller establishments in Charlottesville but these guys were very friendly and welcoming. Note: They take credit cards. Bathroom is around back but they do have one.

I don’t normally write online reviews, but Mel’s is just Too Good NOT to write a review. This place is the definition of great values and service. The staff is sweet and respectful and the food is absolutely fantastic. Best service, best prices, and best quality for the price in all of Charlottesville. Do yourself a favor and get a slice of pie too.

Friendly service, a sincere “Good Morning!” with a genuine smile were the perfect cure for a hard overnight working in the ER.My breakfast was to perfection, seasoned perfectly and the side of downhome hospitality made it all the better. DEFINITELY will be stopping here again!

This is the best burger to get in Charlottesville! The one eye burger with grilled onions bbq and mayo.

Soul food to die for. And everyone is super friendly!! 17/10 will go again

It's amazing to eat in the same place as the late great Muhamed Ali!! Where they cook from scratch from the heart as if you where invited to dinner at their home!! My mouth is watering anticipating some great burgers hand patted fresh grade a beef!! I would recommend this to any one traveling through, stopping In, or just visiting Charlottesville Va for a day. This is where they will remind you of good home cooking you cannot get everywhere!!

Wow! Fantastic food. Great atmosphere. Within walking distance from the train station.

Down home cooking meal....if you're looking for some home cooked meal or some black soul food...this is the place to go...

Affordable and delicious food with pictures of (I'm assuming Mel's) sweet family all over the walls. We were passing through on our way back to Richmond from Shenandoah National Park or I'd go here for lunch again tomorrow.

Friendly atmosphere and great customer service. Oh and the food is amazing

Locally owned very good down home cooking. Mel's is especially known for their fried chicken and burgers. I had the pork chop with greens and mashed potatoes. Excellent. Everything is cooked fresh. Super nice staff and very reasonable prices at this unassuming local diner.

Love this place. Great diner food and friendly service. Try the one eye burger, it's my favorite.

The best. Especially the sweet potato pie

I absolutely love Mels! They’re so friendly, and the food is absolutely delicious. The fried chicken is to die for, and the vegetables are seasoned to perfection. I’ve never been disappointed at Mel’s!

A great soul food hole in the wall restaurant in the heart of Charlottesville. Veggie burger and beans and rice to die for. Amazingly reasonably priced.

My boys and I were passing through Charlottesville and needed to find a place to eat dinner. We saw this place had good ratings, and it didn't disappoint! One son got the fried chicken and said it's the best he's ever had. My other sons got burgers, and they said these were the best burgers they've ever had. The wings were excellent--crispy skin, juicy white meat, and perfectly seasoned. The onion rings were to die for, and the fries were very good with seasoning to give a little kick. I liked the ribs I got. The sweet potato pie for dessert was delicious, and the grilled doughnuts were epic! Even my side of beans was good. The menu is basically classic Southern/American, but they do everything with their own special twist. The service was very friendly. The atmosphere can best be described as hole-in-the-wall, but I actually like that it's all about the food here. We're thinking about going back to Charlottesville just to eat at Mel's Cafe again!

Sensational. Delicious. Everything was made to order. I would wait twice as long for chicken that good!

They never let me down. Clearly the best and most respected soul food place in Charlottesville. The other up and coming soul food spots can learn from this place.