Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Melanie's Restaurant

    3.6 (38 reviews)
    InexpensiveCaterers, Cuban
    Closed • 8:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Melanie's Restaurant Photos

    MELANIE'S RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    More like Melanie's Restaurant

    Recommended Reviews - Melanie's Restaurant

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    chicken breast with arroz con gondules (yellow rice n  peas) to go. Great portions for GREAT prices
    Maxine S.

    Love this place! Been around for DECADES! Tasty food, good selection, GREAT prices, great portion sizes. Staff is super nice.

    Menu
    Dani S.

    I had my Christmas Eve dinner catered by this place. I took a chance because I've never eaten here but the prices were too good to pass up and the reviews were pretty good. I couldn't of been happier. The food was delicious. My personal favorite was the the congri rice. I also ordered sweet plantains, yuca, BBQ chicken, fried fish, macaroni salad, white rice. Thanks Melanie's!

    Menu

    See all

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Willa B.
    47
    162
    324

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of N M.
    0
    1
    0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Maxine S.
    79
    47
    93

    7 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dani S.
    6
    130
    111

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ariel E.
    2
    103
    124

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mark B.
    12
    13
    2

    6 years ago

    I love this restaurant food is delicious portion size is great very friendly staff service is great! I go at least twice a month!

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Al S.
    4
    29
    22

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Yomi R.
    21
    29
    1

    8 years ago

    Good food and decent prices! I've been coming here for over 20 years.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Amy L.
    3
    17
    2

    13 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Amanda G.
    115
    42
    2

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Eva J.
    30
    16
    23

    13 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lily C.
    3
    142
    43

    13 years ago

    Great local place. Had the steak with onions with tostones and maduros. Like the food here at reasonable cost.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Bob D.
    0
    21
    0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Average... Not authentic Cuban food. It could be better. The Cuban sandwich is good.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Melanie's Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Melanie's Restaurant

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Caterers 10,054 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Rumba Cubana - Un Poquito de Todo

    Rumba Cubana

    4.3(670 reviews)
    7.2 mi
    •$$

    My go to place for delicious Cuban food. I come here very often with friends and family. This…read morelocation is great because the outdoor seating is pedestrian only and often times I come with my pups. It's located right across the street from a large park and the area is very lively and family oriented. The service is consistently outstanding, the food is also fresh every time. The menu is so expensive there's a little something for everyone. And the drinks are always great. Reservation can be made, but we almost always get a table when walking in. They sing happy birthday to you with instruments, making it a great place for a birthday celebrations. My favorite dishes: - empanadas (chicken or guava/cheese), the hot sauce on the side is SO good - pork tamale - garlic shrimp (comes with soft bread for dipping) - pitcher of white passion fruit sangria (way better than getting individual glasses) - skirt steak/churrasco - chicharron de pollo (crispy, juicy chicken bites)

    3.5 stars I was in…read morethe mood for a new dinner destination, so we decided to make a reservation at Rumba Cubana's Jersey City location. I had walked by the place in the past and noticed that they had a really nice patio, and I had hoped to sit out there on the beautiful evening, but it was simply too packed when we arrived. Instead, we were taken to a spacious table inside, which still had a great atmosphere with fun music and a general buzz in the air. Our server was nice, but approached us way too quickly to take our order. We rushed to put in our beverage requests, but noted that we would need much more time to study the vast food menu. I ordered some sort of mezcal and passion fruit cocktail, which was very good and not nearly as sweet and full of juice as it looked. I also tried a sip of my companion's Old Fashioned, which used quite a few bourbons, making it very strong. It had a nice cherry sweetness to it, though. When we were finally ready to select our food items, we decided to start with bowls of their "Mama Fela's Chicken Soup". For $4, we were expecting small cups of broth, but the portion was much more generous. The soup was very flavorful and included chunks of spiced chicken on its bone, small cobs of corn, and riced noodles. Though it was enjoyable, it was also very greasy, and you could see the dots of oil throughout the broth. When our server came to clear the plates to make room for our main courses, she did a doubletake to inspect the knife that had been at my place-setting. I had initially thought that the blade had some sort of pattern on it, but she caught the fact that it was actually dirty. When I looked closer, I noticed a shoe print on it, which was so gross. Thankfully, she went to replace it, though I made her also bring me a new fork and napkin, as the two pieces of silverware had been wrapped together in the sheet of cloth. In terms of the entrees, my partner had only positive things to say about his Ropa Vieja, and I concurred that my simply grilled Seabass with olive oil, white wine, and garlic was fantastic. Though the fish was prepared in a very simple manner, it was seasoned and executed with perfection. Both of our meals came with our choice of a single side dish. While my companion liked his rice and black beans, I found my seasoned vegetables to be way to greasy. The medley of cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, peppers, onions, and zucchini were swimming in a heavy garlic butter. Despite a few mishaps, we liked our meal at Rumba Cubana for the most part. I would go back, but I would definitely avoid the vegetables next time.

    Photos
    Rumba Cubana
    Rumba Cubana - Paella Rumbera

    Paella Rumbera

    Rumba Cubana - Passionfruit sangria

    See all

    Passionfruit sangria

    Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe

    Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe

    4.5(425 reviews)
    9.5 mi
    •$$

    This is my second time coming here. It was a yelp event that brought us here first and it was…read moreamazing. I will say parking is street parking or side streets and can get a little crazy on weekends. Service is always great and you feel like you are a part of the family here. Food is always fresh and amazing. Anytime I am near here we stop regardless of being hungry or not. I absolutely am obsessed with their vaca frita and black beans. It's a huge portion so leftovers are always good. My boyfriend always orders their cubano as he said it is the best one he has ever had. Their Maduros are also sweet and crisp and never greasy. We also tried their choripan sandwich and it was awesome. We've never had thinly sliced chorizo which eliminates the usual oil and messiness. Always an amazing meal. We also tried their pineapple Cuban smoothie and ended the meal with their delicious flan.

    I would give Cha Cha in Kenilworth 2 stars…read more This was my first visit, and while the service was friendly and welcoming, the food itself was very disappointing. I appreciated the complimentary yuca fritters with special sauce, which was a kind gesture. However, the overall quality, freshness, and authenticity of the main dishes did not meet expectations. Parking is very limited street parking. The Cuban breaded steak was the biggest disappointment. A proper Cuban-style breaded steak should be thin, tender, savory, garlicky, slightly citrusy, well-seasoned, evenly breaded, and pan-fried until crisp and golden. The version I received tasted oddly sweet, the breading separated from the meat, and the steak had a gummy texture with an old-looking color. It did not have the freshness or clean savory flavor expected from this classic dish. The red beans were very concerning. They tasted strongly like vinegar, and I had to spit them out. When I looked closer, there appeared to be a white, murky-looking substance in them. Beans should never taste sour or vinegary unless something is wrong. Cuban-style red beans should be creamy, savory, aromatic, and well-seasoned with garlic, onion, peppers, cumin, oregano, and bay leaves. The white rice was also not acceptable. It was hard, did not taste fresh, and had a vinegar-like smell and flavor. It appeared as if older rice may have been mixed with newer rice. Proper Cuban white rice should be fluffy, clean-tasting, separated, and neutral in flavor. The moro with black beans and rice was better than the white rice, but still lacked depth. It needed more bay leaf flavor and stronger Cuban seasoning. A good moro should have a rich, savory base from sofrito, garlic, peppers, onions, beans, broth, herbs, and slow cooking so the rice absorbs the flavor. The oxtail was tender and okay, but it did not fully deliver the deep, rich Cuban-style flavor I expected. Traditional Cuban oxtail should be slow-braised with garlic, onions, peppers, tomato sauce, wine, herbs, and spices until the sauce becomes rich and the meat is deeply seasoned. This oxtail tasted acceptable, but it seemed as though it may have been prepared a day or two before and reheated. I understand that many restaurants legally prepare certain foods a day ahead, especially dishes like beans, stews, and oxtail. However, food should still taste fresh and be stored, cooled, reheated, and handled according to food safety standards. Sour or vinegar-like flavors in rice or beans can sometimes indicate fermentation, spoilage, or improper storage, and that should never reach the customer. The best part of the meal was the dessert. The vanilla flan was very good, and the coconut flan was excellent. The coconut flan was rich, creamy, and full of coconut flavor, with shredded coconut pieces that added texture and made it stand out. That dessert showed real potential. The prices were reasonable, but reasonable pricing does not make up for poor freshness and low food quality. It did look like they may do better with sandwiches and empanadas, which I did not try and perhaps should have ordered first. I cook Cuban food, Puerto Rican food, and other traditional dishes myself, and I lived in Miami for over nine years. I also learned from Cuban friends who cook authentic Cuban food at home. Because of that, I know how these dishes should taste. In my opinion, the dishes I tried did not represent Cuban cuisine with the freshness, authenticity, seasoning, or care it deserves. The restaurant may have people who know how to cook, but based on this visit, it seems the kitchen has lost some of the authenticity and discipline needed to serve fresh, properly prepared Cuban food. Food that tastes sour, vinegary, old, or questionable should never be served to customers. The service and desserts were the highlights, but the main dishes need serious improvement in freshness, food handling, seasoning, and respect for authentic Cuban cuisine. There are several areas that need improvement. Freshness and food safety should be the main priority. Rice and beans should never taste sour or vinegary unless intentionally prepared that way, and food that seems old or questionable should not be served. The breaded steak should be freshly breaded, crispy outside, tender inside, and properly seasoned with authentic Cuban flavors like garlic, citrus, cumin, oregano, and bay leaves. The rice should be fluffy, the beans creamy, and the oxtail deeply seasoned and fresh-tasting. I believe the restaurant may have cooks who understand Cuban cuisine, but the kitchen needs to reconnect with freshness, consistency, authenticity, and stronger food handling standards. Cuban food is rich in flavor, comfort, and cultural pride, and with improvement this restaurant could better reflect that tradition.

    Photos
    Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe
    Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe
    Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe - Outside

    See all

    Outside

    Casa Vasca - Papas Españolas

    Casa Vasca

    4.1(296 reviews)
    3.2 mi
    •$$

    If you want a great meal, served with a smile in a welcoming family oriented restaurant...Casa…read moreVasca is the place for you! From the moment you walk in you are treated like family. Something that is a rarity in 2026! The first thing you are offered is soup. Along with fresh baked bread. My favorite dish is the shrimp in garlic (camarones al ajillo), simple but delicious. Served with yellow rice & spanish potatoes. Dont forget to dip the bread in the garlicky sauce! Finish your meal with an espresso & a flan catalan (if you have room). I have enjoyed many, many meals at Casa Vasca & have always been treated like a member of the family. Never a rude server. A+ service. Casa Vasca is not just a restaurant, for some of us who grew up in the area, its home! And you know what they say, "theres no place like home"!

    If I can give 0 stars here, I definitely would. Extremely rude and racist staff. They are basically…read moreracist against anyone who are not Spanish. We came in with a group of six and ordered paella to share together. Everything was fine in the beginning, and they even served soup and bread to us. Then our group was quite surprised when we looked at the bill and found out we were charged $20 for the soup. I mean it would be totally fine if they didn't serve us the soup. But they didn't notify us about the charge for the soup and gave us the option to opt-out. Basically, they imposed an extra order of the soup on us without our permission. Then when we split the bill among our group, the staff gave us a nasty attitude with rolling eyes. I mean. How our group handled the bill and split the payments among our members is none of your fucking business. Save your money and avoid this at all costs. Don't even want to call them a restaurant since they are not even qualified to be one. There are so many better places with much friendlier services in the area.

    Photos
    Casa Vasca - Arroz Amarillo Pollo en Salsa de Vino Ternero al Bosque Caldo Gallego Camarones al Ajillo y Chorizo

    Arroz Amarillo Pollo en Salsa de Vino Ternero al Bosque Caldo Gallego Camarones al Ajillo y Chorizo

    Casa Vasca - Langostinos a la Plancha

    Langostinos a la Plancha

    Casa Vasca

    See all

    Melanie's Restaurant - catering - Updated October 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...