This restaurant is in a Valero Gas Station (so not much ambiance) but was recommended by a local so we decided to check it out. The ladies working behind the counter were extremely warm and friendly. I've attached menu pics. We got smothered chicken to go. It was a chicken breast with mushrooms and gravy served with cabbage. Great flavor, but the chicken breast was a little dry. Great place to stop in to grab something quick to go. read more

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Friendly service. Fresh-cooked burgers were delicious. Love the crinkle fries! It's located inside the Valero station, with a few tables and chairs. We got ours to go. read more

Mel's Blueplate Express - Seafood Near Me - Galveston, Texas

After reading such good reviews here we tried it. My husband took one bite out of the cheeseburger and said "this is really good!" I thought the same. Loved the crinkle fries too. We were skeptical about eating in a gas station but turned out great. The ladies working super nice too. We went at 1:30. No crowd then. read more

Mel's Blueplate Express - Well I deleted the burger picture by accident but it was huge! We both could not finish it! Here's the inside. - Seafood Near Me - Galveston, Texas

best burger in Texas in my humble opinion. Service was excellent. I can't say enough good things about the burger. It's in a gas station which is an excellent disguise. read more

Mel's Blueplate Express - burger and rings - Seafood Near Me - Galveston, Texas

Sorry...I never get a good pic because I'm too busy scarfing down my food! It's so good! If you want a good old fashioned burger and fries (or even better, make it onion rings) that are hot, fresh and made to order, go here. Yes, it's in a gas station. If you're from Louisiana, you know all the best food comes out of gas stations There is a seating area in the front, and the staff is always super friendly. read more

A DIY Local Spot hidden inside a gas station you just know that screams what's good and let me say it totally was in just that way! So coming here in the evening I was kinda bummed because they were out of almost every thing I asked for but it wasn't their fault as this place gets slammed by the locals to the point of where the people working know them by name which just shows at that point how much of a locals spot this really is. With that said I went with the patty melt as they had it and I was just all for it at that point and let me say that was a good idea as this really was one one of the best patty melts I've ever had as the bread was perfectly crispy the meat was tasty the cheese was gooey the onions were scrumptious and that special sauce was the kicker to tie the whole thing together as it was just a really good burger like if I lived here I'm sure I'd be back to get that every so often! My fries were extra crispy just the way I like them they were also out of those onion rings but the fries definitely made up for it being seasoned and extra crispy! It's also a convenience store inside so they have all kinda Random things to buy so I got a Gatorade as well just because that sounded good and yeah let's just say this was a good choice to come here! Overall super yummy small little spot that's packing lots of good stuff into a gas station so do yourself a favor and come here to fill your tank you'll be happy you did! read more

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Great food! Like many good restaurants on the island, they close for a couple of hours between lunch and dinner. Get a burger and onion rings. So good! read more

This is a restaurant in a gas station. We go for take out. Great fresh fried shrimp, hand breaded! And onion rings. They have specials each day. My husband likes their meatloaf. But it is the Monday special. Check it out you will be pleasantly surprised read more

Gas station luncheonette. Grab a cheeseburger basket, or catfish and fries, fried chicken, etc. Totally reasonable prices. Four or five tables inside with checkered tablecloths. Good food fast, locally owned. You can eat in but can't drink a beer, or you could buy a few brews from the store's cooler and take it to go... instant picnic. read more

Amazing food and great service. I got my moneys worth. Do not let the location inside a gas station fool you. The food is amazing and cooked fresh. I know burgers and this place has the best in Galveston. The ladies make the patties everyday so you know it's fresh. read more

This food here is delicious and tastes home cooked. It's inside of a gas station so it's kind of interesting to be able to eat in the gas station itself. You can get drinks and other things from the cooler and shelves while you wait and it is worth the wait. We had the fried seafood basket and it was really good! Come here if you want a homestyle meal at a reasonable price! read more

Mel's Blueplate Express - Seafood Near Me - Galveston, Texas

Generous portions and made to order. The lady taking the order was nice. The food was hot and delicious. Kind of a pleasant surprise for being a convenient store restaurant. Forgot to take a pic bc we were too hungry. read more

Such a surprise . So good and friendly . We took out a delicious burger and the buffalo chicken sandwich. Great value and great food.

The best burger on the island! Don't make any plans for afterwards, nap will be needed.

Friendly service. Good food. Always pleasant times at Mel's. Burgers, chicken, shrimp, pork chops, fries, onion rings

Second time eating here.... Food was so good the first time, we had to come back and try again just to be sure. It's true! Sooo Good! Happy New Year friends at Mel's read more

Amazing! I love any burger joint that has awesome add-on options and Mel's sure has them! It's so damn good. The mac and cheese is simple and delicious, and the seasoning on the fries is great. It was all ready right when I walked in to pick it up. Perfect timing. The staff is super sweet! It always makes me feel even better about supporting local when you see how genuinely appreciative the workers are. They're in the Valero gas station and prove once again that gas stations in Texas are not to be missed. Go give them a try! read more

Mel's Blueplate Express - Mac and cheese, fries, cheeseburger with grilled pineapple and fried egg added - Seafood Near Me - Galveston, Texas

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It's in a gas station, but omg it was great! I would definitely recommend it to everyone that visits

The staff was so friendly and helpful. Everything was hot and delicious. The onion rings were perfection.

This place was so great! The burger and onion rings were done so well and my husband loved his shrimp po boy! Love me a good hole in the wall gas station find and this one did not disappoint. read more

Mel's Blueplate Express - Cheese burger and onion rings - Seafood Near Me - Galveston, Texas

Have you ever eaten inside a gas station that wasn't buccees? Yea, neither had I but I will certainly be going back!! Mel's is hands down the absolute best burger on the island!! The patties are handmade so they're nice and thick and full of flavor, topped with sliced white onion, pickles, tomato, lettuce, mustard & mayo (chefs kiss!). Perfection! The onion rings sell out all the time so if you want them, call ahead and ask. They're hand-battered and sooooo good! Now the fries. Oh the fries. When they're seasoned they're divine!... but sometimes they don't season them so check the bag before you sit down to devour them. read more

Mel's Blueplate Express - Cheese burger - Seafood Near Me - Galveston, Texas

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Great food and friendly service. Don't let the fact that it's also a gas station fool you. Great food!

5:23:2025 - A day in Galveston and I found the best hidden local spot on the island. I drove past twice before realizing it's inside the gas station. Ordered the Turkey burger, they press their own patties, this was a thick patty. let me tell you this is the juiciest most flavorful and delicious turkey burger I've had to date. There are tables on the inside, Dine in or take it to go. Order food and do any other shopping necessary (grab a drink) inside the gas station then take your ticket to the cashier to pay. Cups of ice are $0.50. The staff is very friendly and hustling, she was doing a wonderful job of interacting with the regular customers and keeping up with the busy lunch rush. Even following up to check in and see how we were doing. My order was prepared exactly as I requested. She treated everyone with kindness, very informative with the menu items and accommodating. Several locals were in and out just doing their business sat. The parking lot is small but there are spots on the side. Check this place out when you're on the island. Call ahead and order for little to no wait. read more

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Took a gamble with another gas station restaurant. It paid off again. The staff was very friendly and genuinely greeted their customers. While waiting on the food, you can hear them asking about people's day, how their vacation was, the sort of things that show people their patronage is appreciated. The food was very well made. The burgers were hand formed and the squash was hand cut too. The gas station has some opportunities on cleanliness but I'm not going to judge the restaurant on that. With Cafe Michael Burger gone, I can honestly say this is the best burger on this side of the island. read more

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This morning I was at Moody Gardens convention center for an all day conference. While they didn't feed us, there was an hour and a half break for lunch. I found this place on Yelp and thought I would give it a try. A little nervous turning into a gas station for lunch, but a solid burger and fries for $13. There's not much ambience when you're sitting in a gas station for lunch, but you would be hard pressed to find better food for cheaper. read more

Mel's Blueplate Express - Double cheeseburger with fries - Seafood Near Me - Galveston, Texas

Loved the food. Great prices! Tried the onion rings and the fried pork chops. Yum!! My hubby had the chicken fried steak and he liked it! Doesn't matter that it's in a convenience store. It's smart! read more

We love this place!! Easy in and out. A few tables you eat in! The friendly staff makes all the adjustments you ask for. I ordered a buffalo ranch chicken sandwich and it was over the top good! read more

Mel's Blueplate Express - Buffalo chicken ranch sandwich! - Seafood Near Me - Galveston, Texas

Vibes? Immaculate!! Decor? Non existent. Service?1hundred (got called hunny ) Food? High key needed more salt.

I've been wanting to try Mel's burgers for a long time but they have very specific hours. Everything was so good the burger tasted like someone's dad with sandals on made it. Burgers came quick & we got lunch for 2 people for $30 which is pretty good nowadays. It's in a gas station so I feel like this would be the perfect lunch coming off the beach or to pick up before the beach. read more

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No cook today kitchen closed No hamburger Left hungry Don't wait your time coming here read more

I have read about it on social media. We had a chance to drive by, and we decided to stop and check it out. Lovely ladies at the counter. Great hamburgers. Huge fries. It was worth the visit. read more

Oh man!! The burgers are just as the yelp pictures' show. Don't let the fact that this joint is in a gas station turn you off. I doubt it will be long before they have their own stand alone restaurant. We were there on a Monday during off season and the place was packed. I wish we had found this place before our last hours on the island. Next time we will try some of their blue plate plates - today's specials were meatloaf or a spaghetti option. Absolute must try‍ read more

A hidden gem located a minute or two walk from the beach. Who would have expected a Valero gas station to house a local burger joint. No sign for the restaurant or anything. Just what seems to be a typical Valero until you walk inside. I mean it isn't a crazy shock when you walk into the store and realize there's a restaurant, but it definitely does make you go "Oh that's cool, they have a restaurant here." It is inside a gas station so it isn't really a restaurant. It is more of a spot to pick up food and eat somewhere else. Only about two tables in the shop. Food is great. Burgers and fries taste really great with the seasoning they put on. My family always makes sure that when we're coming from Houston to Galveston, we make sure to call ahead once we get on the main bridge so that food will be ready upon us arriving to the store. Food typically takes around 10-15 minutes to be ready. Pros: good food, reasonable prices, supporting a local business, close to beach Cons: sometimes you have to call several times because they don't pick up the phone read more

This is the 2nd time I've eaten at Mel's. Love this location inside the Valero off Stewart Rd near 73rd street...it's closer (to me) than her first spot!! Yeah me! This business wasn't on YELP when she first opened so I'm glad to be the first to review this gym. I can't remember what I got the first time I went a few years back but I know I liked it and that's why I'm ready for more! Today, I got meatloaf with mashed potatoes brown gravy and a mix of yellow and zucchini squash to go. And once again everything tasted homemade and was delicious and tasty! SUPPORT LOCAL BUY LOCAL read more

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The best burgers fries and onion rings hidden away in Galveston TX . Its friendly folks and delicious food is freshly made and it is a lovely gem hidden away in a Valero gas station of All places! We were invited in and and one of the customers yelled from their truck "best burgers in town" and he was right! Can't wait to go there again! read more

This hidden gem is a great place for lunch or dinner anytime. The staff is awesome. The food is always amazing. It's tucked away in a Valero and easy to miss or just not even know it's there. Definitely worth your time to check it out. Fairly priced, food is out quickly and so far everything I've tried from the Buffalo chicken ranch sandwich to the blt keep me coming back. read more

Funny enough, this ended up being my favorite place we ate at in Galveston on our vacation. I randomly found it based on reviews as it was not planned at all. I got the shrimp po boy and it did not disappoint! Very delicious, crispy, and a large portion. My wife got the burger with onion rings and she enjoyed it a lot. My kids for the grilled cheese and fries; no complaints. The lady's cooking in the kitchen were very nice and patient with us newcomers. Just a heads up that this is inside of a gas station with three or so tables. Not a ton of room to eat but it was fine for our family. I will come back for sure. read more

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The food was fabulous, HB/ OR. So good. Our first time here, but live nearby. Such a great find. We will definitely come back to try different things on the menu. Thank you Yelp for leading me to Mel's. read more

The cheeseburger was awesome. Onion rings better than most. A hidden gem on the island but check hours. They are not always open. On Island Time. Will be back! read more

The best little hidden gem the food is so delicious and always fresh! The staff are the sweetest and great customer service