This place is a hilariously ridiculous good time. You can truly get down and make an ass out of yourself here. The Karaoke atmosphere is perfect, the drinks are cheap and strong, and they have a smoke machine... OH YEAH!!!! And according to the ladies, its the nicest bar bathroom in the East Bay: it's got red velvet walls, a huge mirror, couches, and plants... very luxurious. If you come here, which you have to on a Friday or Saturday for karaoke, bring a shit load of friends. That is the true way to experience the wildness of Mel-o-dee! Prepare to get WASTED!!!! ;() read more

I went to my friends birthday party last night at Melodee and had a great time! We sat in the booths in the back and sang karaoke all night with the help of many pitchers of beer. Nice vibe I'll be back. It was located in a weird spot in a shopping center. read more

Mel-O-Dee - A great 30th Birthday Party! Karaoke galore. - Karaoke Near Me - El Cerrito, California

I have to admit, I was a little skeptical coming here. A friend of mine suggested it and so we decided to celebrate both our bdays last month. Bottom line, not enough places like this exist. Most karaoke places these days are in the Asian style, where you rent a private room for you and some friends. To me, that's not very fun. This is the kind of place that makes karaoke fun. You got people willing to dance and it's not too intimidating because everyone is just out to get loose and have a good time. Some reviews say that the song list is lacking but I thought the book had a great selection. There were some newer songs that people did (I remember hearing some Rihanna and Katy Perry) but honestly, nobody wants to hear new songs that most people don't know at a karaoke joint. The songs that got people moving and having a good time were 80s and 90s jams (arguably the best years for party jams anyway). The only downside really is that the place will put off most young folks. The bar area was full of a bunch of older guys but the back was more for the late 20s and 30s crowd, where the karaoke is. Also another minor note is that the singing area doesn't really have a monitor for sound, so it's kind of hard to hear yourself and the music when you're the one singing. But other than that, it's everything you could want in a karaoke place. So queue up a throwback jam and enjoy having fun with a chill crowd at Mel-o-dee. read more

Karaoke dive bar, with some awesome wallpaper. I went here with a meetup group and had a great time. The beer kinda sucks, various dive bar offerings, but you can bring your own food. The place is hiding on the south side of a strip mall, and is handily close to Bart. Definitely worth checking out in El Cerrito. read more

I will be back -- for more drinks, the super chill and open-minded vibe, and of course, the uninhibited singing =D. Please note though -- this place is SMALL. Nonetheless, it is THE quintessential karaoke bar to just...relax and not have to worry about how you look or who you're with - hell, even how you sing. Expect people of ALL ages. Seriously. Like, your grandmother seriously shaking it to some youngin rapping to "Get Low". (I'm serious! Stop laughing! They did! And so did we!) BUT! That's what makes this place AWESOME! It's so flippin chill and relaxed and everyone is welcomed! ---AMBIANCE--- This is an old school karaoke bar. Dive-esque. Nothing fancy. (Well..except for the velvet red/gold walls, which adds a slight old-elegant touch). ar There's a full-bar with about 10 comfy bar stools. And a back-room where the karaoke takes place with about 6-10 small round tables. Not very big...wish it were bigger. Seating is very limited if you arrive after 8:30pm on a Friday! We did...and ended up sitting at the bar..but, atleast we got seats! If you come with more than 2-3 people after 8:30pm, expect to be standing all night. (But alteast you'll be drunk and singing! That's always good, right?) ---PEOPLE--- Very chills and happy vibe from all. My friend's jacket dropped twice off her chair, and both times some kind-person would pick it up. Best part: Everyone totally sings along! We sat at the bar for about 3-4 hours and didn't feel pressured to get-up at all! No one shoving their ways in to get a drink. No grimey person hitting on you/staring at your from across the bar. It's all good in the hood! The bartenders are definitely very chill. Our favorite was this one lady (whom we named "Amanda" because she looks like an Amanda). Very sweet, smiley, and attentive. She gave me an olive when I was craving one.. For only 2 bartenders, they tend to your needs very quickly! ---DRINKS--- Yes. They pour heavy here. Though, both bartenders didn't know how to make a basic Melon Ball...and were confused when I asked for a "Double" Tequila Sunrise. But, were totally chill with following my recipe and funny about it to boot! "Oh..what is it?..Haha, well, sounds delicious! I'll have one too!" Did I mention that they pour heavy here? And drinks are mighty cheap (relatively speaking). Between the two of us, we ordered: - 1 Melon Ball (make-shift) - 1 TQ Sunirse with 2 shots of tequilla (make-shift) - 3 Pints o Beer (they have about 6 on draft I believe. All your basics). - 1 Long Island Total: 6 drinks + 2 complimentary shots of tequilla = about $36! That's like...$6 a drink! WOW. How accurate the drinks were...meh. Forgiven when it's this cheap. --KARAOKE-- We didn't go up to actually sing...but was still fun to sing along at the bar with folks and everyone else belching the lyrics. Examples of some songs that came up: 1) Can't Help Falling in Love with You 2) Get Low 3) Don't Stop Believing (of course) 4) Can't Fight the Moonlight 5) Kokomo Yep! So, a whole random mix of stuff! ---LOCATION--- Right next to the Trader Joe's in El Cerrito Plaza. --PARKING-- Plenty! It's at the plaza! Yep. And that's it. We're thinkin of hitting it up again for some good ol xmas carols when it comes that time of the year for some more jolly good times! read more

Shaky hands down, this is one of my favorite bars in California. This is definitely an old folk's hangout, which actually seals the deal for me. You won't find yourself screaming over the jukebox here, and I don't think a fight has erupted in the place since 1968. However, there's always a retired cop in the place, so maybe smoking pot out in the parking lot isn't the wisest idea...unless you know him by name and don't puke anywhere (Michael!). The drinks are poured as if the friendly bartender wants to see if you can handle your booze, so you definitely get more bang for you buck here. Just don't order any cocktail involving coca cola, as the tap is usually flat. The walls are covered in red, velvet wallpaper and the entire back room is littered with black, vinyl booths and chairs. If you've ever longed to belt out some karaoke to a room full of clapping pensioners, this shoudl be your friday night spot. read more

Yesterday was my birthday and I walked over to this spot with a mutual acquaintance having been at The Crown celebrating. I went directly to the restroom and when I approached the bar, I was immediately told that we needed to leave. I assumed my friend had developed a reputation at this place that I wasn't aware of. So I left without objection. Once outside, I proceeded to order a Lyft when my phone died. So I returned to the bar, thinking someone could help. When I returned, the door was locked with about 20 people inside. So I knocked on the door. My friend also knocked to try to help me. The bartender opened the door and immediately was screaming "you're not coming in!" over and over. I couldn't even explain. He slammed the door in my face and said he was calling the cops. I'm so glad he did because finally someone was able to help me. The police called me a cab and charged my phone while we waited. The bartender at Melodee put my safety at risk and acted with complete unprofessionalism. It's terrible because I'm new the the area and have developed friendships with people who visit regularly, but I won't return unless this bartender is removed. read more

Returned to the Mel-O-Dee for 1 hour at 10pm on a Monday night to kill some time. I was alone and needed a place to catch the end of the Raider/Charger game. Hi/Low lights: Drinks are dirt cheap The place was near empty so seating was plentiful 2 flatscreens at each corner of the bar Huge TV in the lounge Interesting patrons but all friendly Annoying Bartender... really annoyning bia bia read more

From the outside you would never guess the amazingness that lies within. Nestled amidst the El Cerrito Plaza shops lies an oasis where the drinks are $2.50 (and STRONG), the dance floor is made for groovin', and there is an extensive Karaoke list. When I first got there I was warmly greeted by the bartender Ralph who promptly got our drinks and gave us free shooters later in the night (which btw were DELICIOUS). I then proceeded over to the piles of Karaoke songbooks where I picked out my song of the night. The only problem with these is that they aren't organized by artist which made it easy to skim over some favorites. In the end, it was fine though :) After many a $2.50 drink I was grooving on the dance floor with friends and listening to the Karaoke singer (bad and good) do their thang on the mic. I had to swat away the occasional creepster attempting to grind on me but hey that happens everywhere right? For the most part everyone was good company and I quite enjoyed the uncompetitive atmosphere. I highly recommend this place! No drama. No dress code. No problem. Definitely worth a trip to the usually less than exciting El Cerrito nightlife. You wont regret it! I only wish they had Karaoke EVERY night! (Just Fridays and Saturdays) read more

This was my 4th or 5th visit to the Mel-o-dee in the past couple years, and 2nd for karaoke night. It's a very ethnically and age-diverse crowd; the staff is friendly (not the KJ necessarily, though); and the singing crowd tolerates non-regulars. I always feel like the drinks should be a hair cheaper than they are, but it's fine. You can eat inside. It meets all my requirements for a local bar! read more

It's not much to look at, but they sure know how to karaoke! Pros: Awesome karaoke selection Awesome-er karaoke DJ Nice little dance floor if the mood strikes Comfortable seating GREAT screen for onlookers and singers alike Super-friendly bar staff And the absolute coup - free hotdogs and fresh popcorn. I mean, seriously?! Decent drink prices Con: It's in a very strange shopping center/plaza...in the back. If you don't know where you're going you may not find it. But hey, if that's your biggest problem, you're doing pretty well! read more

For clarification, this place is next to Trader Joes. It took me a while to find it, so if this helps at all, then this review will have done it's job. Came here on Halloween for the Giants in the World Series. The TV room area had a big big big screen above the fireplace and a couple of LCD screens up on the walls around it. Cheap drinks for happy hour, well drinks and drafts were only a few bucks. Plus you have the option to order pitchers. Karaoke later on in the night was fun! People dancing and singing along and everyone claps even if you're not so great at singing. On a side note, you get 10% off from Wingstop if you call in an order and tell them you're coming from Mel-O-Dee. What's even better is that it's literally a 60 second walk from door to door. And of course the Mel-O-Dee folks don't mind if you scarf down wings at a table. read more

This place gets four solid stars.... for so many, many reasons... and yes, I'm writing this review while drunk after a night here... why do you ask? So I was working at my bar and thinking about doing some karaoke. I was going to go to the city. There were several local haunts that me and my gal pals were thinking about. But then we heard there was a riot in San Francisco... and multiple DUI checkpoints and we thought.... really? Enter a patron of my bar with the words "What? You've never been to Mel-O-Dee????" No sir, and woe is the day that I never came across this place. The Mel-O-Dee is awesome. The drinks? Large and strong and cheap (WINNER!) and the people who work there? Rad. The people who run the karaoke? Awesome... the crowd? Oh my lawdie Miss Clawdie... totally awesomesauce. While the song book is decidedly "suburban" (yeah, we're divas... what?) we still found songs we loved to sing and the hostess? She was on it. Totally knew how long till it was for me to sing and wouldn't take any singers once the line-up was seriously full. When you tip her you are getting your money's worth... she is working it. The decor is awesome and I won' t lie when I tell you we had a drunk photoshoot in the ladies bathroom. What? Go there. Now. Thursday Friday and Saturday... wait, no, on second thought I totally want to get an extra rendition of Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone"... so don't go there. read more

This place is the BEST! I've lived in El Cerrito for 4-ish years now and have been to all the local bars, alot. This is the best one. Why? Karaoke nights, good prices, great bartenders and a super cool crowd. The crowd is extremely diverse: divers, locals, hipsters, young ppl, you name it. And everyone, in my experience, is super chill and friendly. I've met several people here and look forward to seeing them and chatting it up. Me and my friends usually head here after some late night bowling at Albany Bowl, after drink and taco at Hotsy Totsy or just straight here. But this place is a must-go when we go out on the weekend. This place can def qualify as a dive, but its so much better than that. I will prob be there tomorrow night! read more

Friday 1/17/2020 my mom stepdad and friend attended mel-o-dees I arrived 1st alone when I got there I ordered my friend and myself a margarita and opened a TAB I was by myself as I mentioned so my friend arrived and then my mom and stepdad arrived and they opened a tab so my mom bought us drinks as well. The drinks were good coming from the same BARTENDER that made mines when I arrived so time went by I ordered 2 more drinks on my mom and STEPDAD tab they were made by the same BARTENDER they were good and later I went to order my mom and myself 1 on my tab and the other BARTENDER made them so I gave my mom her drink and she was conversing with an old school friend and I went and set with my friend and I sipped my drink it was sour and as I turned looking for my mom she was at the bar asking for her drink to be fixed and was turned down disrespected and some. So I went over there asking can the other BARTENDER just remake them the glasses were still full the other BARTENDER stated we will have to charge you for new drinks I said ma'am they are still full she began to be sarcastic and make a scene saying they want the other good BARTENDER apparently shes better than me so I just asked for a refund on the last 2 drinks which were both full glasses and she began to ignore me so my song came up to sing I left and this stranger white guy brought me my card I was confused so when I went and asked them why would you close out my tab with a stranger a guy I never met in my life and I stood here asking to close it nicely for 10mins and as soon as I go to sing you give a total stranger my card I don't have no receipt no nothing then she states well he paid for your tab I said I don't know him I didn't ask him to pay for my tab where is my receipt because she then states that she did charge me for the 1st drinks and he paid for the other drinks she didn't give me no receipt I called the police they were racist as was the security at the bar I will be taking this to court as bad as identity theft is in the world today they couldn't even apologize about giving my card to a total stranger which happen to be a white man they thinking just because I'm a black woman I'm supposed to be ok with this stranger paying for my drinks and getting my credit card no I'm furious and disturbed that they thought I would be happy I can pay for my own drinks and futher more my husband who wasn't present wouldn't appreciate me taking money from another man who is a stranger I will never go back here but best believe I will be suing them. read more

This was suppose to be my entourage's "hole in the wall" but apparently a trend has occurred to start coming here. One trip my fiancé and I took here we ended up waiting a full hour for one song and when I asked the bartender for the drinks I had on my first visit she told me that only one bartender does those "cheap cocktail" specials and he only works on Tuesdays. I assured her I came during the weekend and she adamantly suggested that I mixed up my weekdays and weekends - I might really enjoy my weekends but not enough to be convinced that I was displaced in some time-space parallel and Friday or Saturday was actually Tuesday!! I ended up getting a watered down, over-priced drink which has deterred me from ordering here (I'll just get some Clubs at Safeway, thanks). The most recent trip back was with my full force entourage but still we made little impact in the karaoke line - 30 minutes before my fiancé got to sing and my friend and I never got to do our "You Ought to Know", "Basketcase", or our closer of "Tubthumping". The only deliciously fun moment was when someone from another party sang "Time Warp" (which I had done on my last visit and no one had the balls/ovaries/other miscellaneous parts to dance to it) and the crowd actually joined in - I think he may have been in the musical previously (for those of you looking - "Barely Legal" in Oakland). I lay to rest my memories of this place. I once loved you Mel-O-Dee but I don't think I'll be back until you get another machine or learn that allowing certain singers to go more times than the rest of the crowd during "rounds" only annoys customers; and you get bartenders who are conscious of a patron with money in their hand who wants drinks in his/her belly. You were cute Mel but I'll be back when your ego is deflated and you remember why you were cool in the first place. read more

It doesn't get more East Bay than Mel-o-dee! Generally, establishments that try to do too much wind up not doing anything at all. Not so, at Mel-o-dee. A symbiotic relationship occurs in this magical place: the affordable and generous drinks loosen you up to SANG your heart out. The people (usually a diverse crowd, age-wise too) respond as though you're the pied piper, and move onto the dance floor and get down. The temperature in the room rises; people need more drinks, and the night goes on and on and on. While the ambiance isn't the prettiest, the place is clean, and the staff are quick and polite. Bring some friends, get your drank, sanging, and groove on, at Mel-o-dee. read more

Such a cool place! And not in a "I'm way too cool for you" type of place. We have b-day parties there all the time and the bartenders are so nice and never give attitude. Cheap drinks and red velvet walls what more do I need to say? read more

People complain about the surrounding businesses (typical shopping chains), but I don't think they understand... Mel-O-Dee was there first. The red velvet wallpaper is from 1969. If anything, that joint deserves praise for surviving in a corporate world. Walked in last Tuesday and found out sweet soul jams are DJ'd there every Tuesday. Inell Young & the like. The black couch benches are clean and in great condition. The dance floor is small, but the ambiance is perfect. Low lighting, comfortable. Can't say enough about the 60's decor! It's the perfect joint to chill in during the weekday if you want good music and a cushy place to unwind. read more

Cute little spot. They have Kareoke Wed-Sat. That's a PLUS! Down side is that the Kareoke is only 2 hours 9p-11pm on Wed & Thursdays. Friday & Sat is 9-1a, which is good. So, I wouldn't give it 4 stars instead of 5, because of the short kareoke they have on Wed & Thur cuz they have kareoke 4 nights in a row & Idk anywhere else that does that! So, I'm sticking to 5 stars! Also, the very first drink I purchased was a plus. The bartender made a really good fuzzy navel =D read more

Got invited here to celebrate a friend's birthday on karaoke night, and had a BLAST! We had SO much fun, in fact, that we made a point to get together to do again (which happened last night), and now we're thinking of coming regularly! I've even recruited more people to join us, they're hooked after one visit =P The bar: An awesome, unpretentious, no drama, no fuss no muss kind of place. Cheap strong drinks made by friendly and pleasant bartenders, ultra-retro fun decor (walls have velvet wallpaper and mirrors, and there's a western-y swinging door to get to the bathroom area). Dive-y and comfortable, nobody passing judgment here! And there's one crazy regular, this older guy, who makes everybody feel good by going around, telling stories, giving compliments, dancing, shaking hands, and laughing at everything, hahaha. Last night there was even someone's dog wandering around? Very cute, friendly, and didn't seem to mind the loud music, which tells me he probably comes around pretty often. Anything goes! The karaoke: Everyone could get up and sing whatever they wanted and were sure to be supported no matter what the talent level :) To get the atmosphere right, there's a light-up microphone, disco ball, fog machine, and small dance floor XD The song list is limited (which is why 4 stars instead of 5), mostly 80's hits, classic country, and the old standards, but there are a few surprising songs on the list that I wouldn't have expected to see! Besides, those oldies are what really get a crowd going, because everyone knows them, loves them, and sings along! All in all, I recommend this place to just about anyone, because everyone's welcomed here! Expand the song list and they get my 5 stars :) read more

my home away from home! I love everyone here! mel-o-dee has to be, hands down, one of the best dive bar, hole in the wall places I have ever been to. you will not be disappointed! read more

Mel-O-Dee - Karaoke Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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Stumbled on the Mel-O-Dee as an extension of a friends birthday party, telling us we have to go to this place it's little gem. Whoa who knew nestled between the Trader Joes and a Chinese restaurant is the nondescript front if the place, walk in side and YES red velvet wallpaper, great lighting really nice folks and some of the best karaoke singers ever. Many of the folks are regulars but everything is comfortable. The kareoke DJ did the best version Melanie's " Brand New Key" and runs the show perfectly. I'm coming back as there are few jewels like this around. read more

One of my favorite local karaoke spots. Ralph, the owner is so nice! It gets pretty busy on weekends. Karaoke Wednesday-Saturday! And there are hotdogs on Wednesdays! I don't drink but it seems like everything is incredibly reasonably priced. This place has been here forever, come by. read more

This bar is located in the El Cerrito Plaza, just past Trader Joe's. It is definitely a dive bar with it's regulars. The clientele spans a wide range of ages and ethnicities. I'd say the age range is from late 20s to 65+. We went there because we heard they had karaoke on Friday nights starting at 9pm. When we first entered the bar it was about 6pm and we felt quite unwelcomed. The bartender was asking pointed questions basically trying to ask what were we doing there, he made us feel like we didn't belong there. We stuck around though because we really wanted to be there for karaoke....we ordered drinks. I asked for a hurricane and ended up with a yucky long island. If you don't know how to make it then say it...don't just pawn off something else without asking! After about three hours of waiting, karaoke started. Now that was fun...everyone was respectful to each singer..old and young...good or bad. The three hours before were uncomfortable though and definitely left a bad impression. read more

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I've been coming to this place for almost a year and I haven't reviewed. Here we go. I used to do laundry a few doors down from this bar and I almost walked in but it seemed way too "divish" for me. A few grandpa's sitting there with their Buds smoking cigarettes. I turned around and left. A few months later my brother and I decided to head in and grab a beer. Since then, this is my bar. And it's within walking distance from my house and from BART. During game days, it's a nice spot to have a beer and watch sports. They have 2 flatscreens in the main room and then 2 more flatscreens in the back, as well as the HUGE flatscreen. They are happy to put on whatever you want to watch. Wednesdays is free hot dog night. Always nice to hang out with friends with free dogs, a PBR, and the game on. Fridays and Saturdays are karaoke night. When I first started going to this bar, it was a little busy on the weekends. Nowadays, it's packed! Word must have got around. It really does get crowded but everyone is in such a great mood. The crowd is what really makes this place. At the bar, you have the football coaches having beers. The regulars are there of course - both young and old. And then you have the kids there. And everyone gets along just fine. Around 11pm is when it really starts jumping. People are singing and whenever there's a good song, people get up and dance and sing along. The bartenders are friendly and fast. Stepping outside for a smoke, you never know who you are going to chat it up with. About 7 beers on tap, amongst other bottled beers, and they have a few tequilas and the Jager already cold. The locals and regulars really set the mood in the bar. It gets crazy in a good way. In all my months going there, there has never been an incident. Maybe a kid drank too much, but that's about it. I've taken quite a few friends here and they all have asked to return. We even have friends driving from SF just to hang out there. Another reviewer complained that IT IS at a mall but that's what makes it even better - it's the hidden gem of El Cerrito. I don't even bother with all the other bars in El Cerrito. The Mel is the place to be. read more

Young goofy, preppy, white people successfully mix with an older black crowd. Fun. Regulars are way too good at the Karaoke. Standing room only. read more

I love this place!!!!!!!! I came to Mel-O- Dee all by myself one night back in June. Mrs. Kitty welcomed me right on in and invited me back! It is a mature crowd for the most part. Thank God! I have been back almost every week since. I love all you guys!!! RAY my favorite Kj, Mrs. Kitty and my favorite Bartender. You know who you are. No place is perfect and yes there will be a few youthful haters that would like to run the place. (Us grown folk will blame it on the alcohol) HA! HA! If you are in town & would like to have some fun with good people. Come on down to Mel-O-Dee!!!!! You won't be sorry! I love this place and will continue to come back!!!!!!!!!!!! Z. read more

i don't go out that much,but when i do, i go to the mel o dee,super cool crushed red velvet wall paper, sort of a Vegas like surrounding's every time i go a guy with a bunch of tattoo's named "dave" is working,very nice and funny bartender. I WILL BE BACK SOON the mel o dee is the best!!! read more

how to describe the perfect place? you simply can not. just know that you have not lived until you see maria d grabbing the microphone from some inebriated frat boy to join megan w in a duet of belinda carlisle's, "heaven is a place on earth". or until you see megan w getting DOWN to taylor dayne. or joy m doing a perfect rendition (cockney accent and all) of "consider yourself" from oliver. or brigid c. fucking owning randy newman's, "short people". or maria d. doing a PITCH PERFECT RENDITION of the scorpion's, "rock you like a hurricane". i was rocked. i think the whole crowd was. what i'm saying is we were at a rockin' party last night at mel-o-dee and you were not. jealous? i know so. i, myself, plan on being here every friday and/or saturday (kareoke two nights in a row, fool! every weekend!) night for the next ten years. p.s. i am tired and totally just marked the majority of this review from maria d. i am a tool. a really fucking hot tool. p.p.s. they also have the most perfect wall paper ever here. i can't even begin to describe it because i want your mind to be sufficiently blown when you see it and also, the words i want to use don't exist in the english language. it's. fucking. amazing. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRIGID SUZANNE!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!! read more

very cool spot. LOVED the velvet walls and the comfy seating. leather rolling chairs at a bar? NICE! played some pool, watched some karaoke, had some fun. the saloon bathroom entrance was cool too. bartender was super friendly and promised me that she would have little umbrella's for our beer next time. what's a beer without a straw and a mini-umbrella? read more

When the Tibetan community shows up, it is a party house with jamming music. It is a hit or miss when the Tibetan community shows up.

Dear Aunt Florence, When I was younger, I welcomed your visits every month with open arms. You would usually show up in the morning and kind of make a mess, but I would clean up after you and then we'd go eat brownies and nachos together. It was really nice. I really appreciated your reliability and punctuality, even though you can be kind of a pain. But, my dear Aunt Flo, things have changed now. I think we need some time apart. You are no longer welcome. Please go away and do not come back for about 40 weeks. I would like that very much. Oh, and next time you visit, you had better have a baby with you. I want a god damn baby. Teenagers make it look so easy! Poo. Sincerely, Rachel H. ****************************************************************************** I went to Mel-O-Dee feeling sort of bummed and irritable. When Aunt Flo visits it means I can drink again, and alcohol makes me feel better when I am bummed. So does karaoke. Mel-O-Dee's hurricanes DID make me feel better, and so did the company (Emily J., Jac. C., Debbie L., Jason C., my husband, and my parents). My friends and family are super. Five stars for them and the drinks. The karaoke did not make me feel better. The KJ does not run karaoke anywhere near as well as DoowopBob (http://www.yelp.com/biz/doowopbob---karaoke-dj-concord) from my favorite karaoke bar, The Captain's Chest (http://www.yelp.com/biz/captains-chest-cocktail-lounge-concord#hrid:K05hy5Ewinl6a121r8ZFXQ). DoowopBob is fair, has a rotation, and everyone gets one turn per round. The KJ here stinks. There were some people who got to sing three times before I got to sing my second song, and it appeared it was because they know the KJ. How unprofessional. He also doesn't adjust the sound for each singer. Some people's voices were amplified too loud, while other singers could barely be heard because the backing track was too loud. He also has a very slim song selection. Negative eleventy stars for this guy. I would not go here for karaoke again, and I see no reason to drink here either when Club Mallard is so much better. The cocktail waitress was awesome! She earns this place an extra star. 5 stars for waitress. 5 stars for hurricanes. 1 star for KJ. 0 stars for Aunt Flo, that whoreface. read more

This place is great!! I have been going there for years, Ralph the owner runs a great place can't say enough. Never had any problems there and always run into people I know. The drinks are reasonable the Karaoke on Weds-Sat is fantastic. The KJ has every song you can dream up. He has it all. Can't say enough about the place. Keep up the great work Rob S read more

6/27/15 Wow will I never go back here. The woman who checked IDs, total sweetheart. But I went with a group of co-workers who love to karaoke, this was our first time trying this place. They got there at 9 and put in song requests, I got there at 9:45 and an hour later they still hadn't gotten to sing one song between them. Despite the KJ rudely informing my friend "one song per person", we watched the same 5 people go up over and over for 2 and a half hours. After a while, it didn't feel like karaoke, it felt like "In Concert". And then it felt like torture. I don't mind if people aren't amazing singers but I really minded that it was a Saturday night, the place was packed full of people making requests to sing and the ONLY ones who got to (for way too long) were the same group. I get it, they knew the KJ but come on, they don't even have this kind of favoritism in San Fran karaoke bars. And how do you selectively exercise a "one song per person" rule? Do you think we don't see the repeat performers? The ONLY good thing was that the drinks were dirt cheap. But in an effort to not be slurring when they finally tried to go, my friends weren't drinking that hard. I got so frustrated I just told the bartender to close our tab because we'd been there two and a half hours and were tired of waiting so we were just going to bail. She was kind and went to talk to the KJ who then got super angry at 'being questioned'. She promised 30 minutes more and my friends would be up so we actually stayed. And were treated to him having a talk with the 5 mic hogs who proceeded to death glare at our side of the room for shutting down their private concert. But give me a break. It worked. They still went up but there were new performers sandwiched between their repeats. My friends got to sing and I got to get the hell out of there before dawn. When you're having fun, you lose track of time. I went with a group to Jaguar Karaoke in Oakland, private booths, total blast, we were there 4 hours and had no idea. When you're being tortured, like we were at Mel-O-Dee's, time moves SLOW. After, I told another friend about our experience and she had experienced a similar thing on another night there. Her first and last trip too. I get why the regulars go back, or the people too drunk to realize its the same people performing on repeat but everyone else? RUN. read more

The bar itself is pretty cute. Nice wallpaper. Nice bartender. Drinks are reasonably priced, although on the high side given the strip mall location/vibe. Friday night scene is depressing as hell. People, who I assume are the regulars, not interacting with each other or anyone at all other than a few couples here and there. The regulars (I can only assume by the fact that they all went several times before I was called up) get up and sing with no effort or enthusiasm, and sound godawful. And I'm someone who likes bad karaoke, assuming people try at all. It was probably the worst singing I've ever heard in a karaoke bar, and that's saying something. One guy gets up and sings a song while slouching in a chair near the stage, after singing along loudly and from memory to nearly every song that came on. Another guy gets up and sounds like Wesley Willis but possibly even more tone deaf and unintelligible - is he completely wasted, or just a horrible singer? Another guy gets up and sings horrible late-90's early-00's white pop rock songs really loud, it is incredibly grating. I eventually hear that I'm going to get called soon, but I can't take anymore and get the hell out of there. Throughout everything the DJ/KJ/whatever doesn't adjust the sound at all. Vocals were way too loud, backing tracks were inaudible. Did I mention that the karaoke selection, despite having a gigantic binder, is very, very small? Occasionally the host sprays fake smoke into the room, and while paying my tab on the way out I notice my throat clenches up while I'm talking to the bartender, kind of like the feeling you get when you have laryngitis. Later, it feels like I've smoked a pack of cigarettes. This feeling doesn't go away until the next morning. Gross. If I were just here for drinks... Who am I kidding, it's in a strip mall. If I were just here for drinks I'd turn around as soon as I walked in the door and heard the awful singing and go to any of the other bars in the area. If you're looking for karaoke there are many other options with cheaper drinks, a better crowd, a better DJ, and in a better location. Avoid at all costs. read more

Fun place. Friendly people. Fun times to be with friends. Excellent bar.

no place better to get faded cheap on a friday night and act a fool on the karaoke machine in front of a hundred strangers. seriously.... ; )~ read more

Always have a knee slappin good time at Mel-O-Dee!! We love the eclectic crowds you never know who you will see in the place, and Karaoke fun like you wouldn't believe dancing and all!! read more

I LOVE THIS PLACE! It is a total dive, but in the best way. The patrons are great, the bartender is awesome, the kj is good and the drinks are seriously cheap. The song selection is very limited but that is ok for those who have their own CDs or those who love 80"s classics. This place welcomes everyone and is the perfect chill bar. read more