First time here. Was seated quickly and had our order taken even faster! Good job! Food came out fast and was quite tasty! If you like a diner experience, this is for you. Nostalgia is oozing at the seams. Singing wait staff, pictures and posters from the past. Epic milkshakes and burgers. Good experience. We'll be back read more

Sadly only giving this location a 2 star. To be clear it's just because of the food. Staff 10 out of 10 service hands down... but I'm going to the diner for food... Jake was super nice and great service! Food was just very disappointing. read more

Great lunch with Rachel, our singing server! We had; Chili over spaghetti, vegetable soup w chicken salad sandwich, vegetable soup w grilled cheese The chili was flavorful, not overly spicy. The vegetable soup was good, but maybe came from a can. The chicken salad had grapes & other bits of goodness. The grilled cheese was crispy on the outside & gooey on the inside. Chocolate pie & ice cream sundaes were the highlights of our visit! You'll be overwhelmed by the sundaes, I'm sure! The atmosphere is fun & having a variety of singing servers adds to the fun. read more

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I found this and added it to our "to do" list while in Branson and I'm glad we were able to stop in. I had forgotten that the servers are also singers and walk around singing old tones to everyone, how fun! Menu was large and had something to please everyone, prices are fair and portions are HUGE. My husband got a Reuben (of course) with fries and I chose a Chicken Salad Sandwich with fries on a croissant. The croissant wasn't very good (fresh) and the chicken salad was OK. His Reuben was delicious. Fries were good. Shakes and sundaes looked amazing and also huge. Service was wonderful and friendly and prompt and the singing was so fun! Definitely something unique you should do while in town and especially if you have children. Our young daughter loved it. read more

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Great place to eat with good food and good entertaining servers that serve food with a song and a smile! read more

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Fun time listening to the servers sing. Beautiful voices. Very friendly and casual environment. Had burgers, fries and a milkshake which was pretty good. Our server was very friendly and provided recommendations for local shows. read more

Clean and classic diner atmosphere. Service A+ Food A+ Singers A+ (makes this place extra fun) If you're coming to Branson make sure you check this place out. Last but not least, more lie MOST. The Banana Split is King!! read more

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We came here for dessert this evening. Our server was kind, helpful and very good singer. We enjoyed hot fudge Sunday and lovely music. read more

Mel's Hard Luck Diner - It was so good, I had no chance to take a picture of it before my group attacked it - Diners Near Me - Branson, Missouri

If you are looking for an old fashioned, classic diner type of atmosphere, then you're in the right place. When you first walk into this restaurant you are warned that it will be loud. Honestly, it's no louder than if you went to a sports bar like Buffalo Wild Wings or Roosters. The service was excellent and as a plus the waitstaff will take turns singing different songs. The menu is decent but limited at the same time. Unfortunately, the food is mediocre at best. I ordered the smoke in my eyes burger and it was decent but nothing to write home about. My daughter ordered the spaghetti and said it wasn't good. My son did enjoy the fries and jalapeno poppers so that was a plus. My husband said that he would've rather had a cheeseburger from McDonald's and that is saying something. Overall, I hate to say it but it's not worth the price you pay for the food. read more

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Amazing experience! As usual. First, I love the vibe of this place. The singing servers are super fun and so talented. It's Christmas time in Branson, so they sang Christmas songs, country songs, and gospel songs. Totally my jam! And great service too. Even though our waitress was brand new, she did a great job. Now, let's talk about the food. They do 50's diner and monster (excellent) ice cream like nobody's business. I got a plain ole grilled chicken sandwich, which was very good, but doesn't really let them show off. I also got the veggie of the day instead of fries, trying to be healthy. Big mistake. Get the fries. They're SO good. Breaded. I love them. Fortunately, my son got the patty melt and fries (a total classic!), so I got some. Yum! My wife got the grilled chicken salad, but wanted more protein (she's whole 30). So she asked if they would put the chef salad toppings (ham, turkey, and bacon) on her salad too for an upcharge. I cringed, figuring they would charge her a fortune for adding a few tiny pieces of meat. But instead, they added like a half pound of meat for $3. Amazing! Check out the picture. My wife said it was the best salad she's ever had. Nice! And then my son and I split a 2 scoop sundae. You choose your ice cream flavor and topping(s). It's $9 for one scoop and $10 for two, so a double scoop is the obvious choice on SO many levels. Their ice cream is extremely high quality and delicious, and their scoops are huge! I just wish there were more plentiful toppings, but realistically, the old fashioned ice cream sundae bowls are pretty vertical, so not much room for the toppings to stay on there. Today's flavor of the day was mint chocolate chip, and it was incredible. All up, another amazing can-barely-walk experience at Mel's. If you're in Branson for vacation, this place should be on your non-negotiable must-try-it list. Enjoy! PS - Try the chili fries! read more

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This is an amazing place. The waiters staff are singing waiters and waitresses. they are amazing. I ordered a regular cheese burger and Onion Rings. The food was ok but not the best I have had. My burger tasted like it had no seasoning and the bun was one that as you held it crumbled. The taste was not bad at all it was just bland. The onion rings were good I did enjoy them. The people I was with felt the same about their regular burger. Now 2 of the people in the group do get the "smoke gets in your eyes burger which had bacon and bbq This was a great experience, singing waitress and waiters was really cool. read more

Great place for a simple meal with entertainment! This visit they put us in back room in back corner. Not the best place to sit, so if possible ask for main room. Singers seem to stay in front section more. I had my normal Ruben sandwich , good. Daughter had roast beef with peppers n onions, dry , just ok. Cherry malt is a must! Even if you think you are full, find the room !! Definitely should be on everyone's list of eats. Great singers and Christmas store close by. read more

What's not to love about Mel's Hard Luck Diner? Delicious food at reasonable prices served by super friendly staff who are all incredibly talented singers. You enjoy live music performed while you dig into tasty chicken fingers, perfect patty melts and crispy fries. Massive milkshakes and constantly refilled sodas - you cannot go wrong! Service was fast too, great for families. read more

Mel's Hard Luck Diner - Diners Near Me - Branson, Missouri

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Mel's is the classic old diner. Our server (Kelly Bryant) was sweet. Very attentive and accommodating. My mom requested a song and her next time up she sang it! The food was your average diner food. To me it's about the whole experience. Was a fun experience. read more

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Loved the singing waitress/waiter while we were there. Portions were huge.......we could have shared. Learned new facts from the posters on the wall. Definitely a 50's/t0's vibe! read more

Mel's Hard Luck Diner - Hard Times Patty Melt - Diners Near Me - Branson, Missouri

Our food was good but the laughter and ice cream was even better it's a most stop recommend going mid afternoon not too crowded

Mel's was our first restaurant in Branson. We entered and already heard one of the servers singing. These servers are seriously talented. The service was great, but the food was even better. We decided to save room for desert and OMG the decision was right. We ordered the Kookie! And there was over a pint of chocolate and a pint of vanilla with two chocolate chips cookies. We tried so hard but couldn't finish. That itself was worth the experience. Recommend 10/10! read more

Always a fun time here. I come for the Ruben. Servers are friendly and incredibly talented. Thank you Lisa O for the wonderful time! read more

Mel's Hard Luck Diner - Diners Near Me - Branson, Missouri

The noise level when the wait staff is singing is deafening! Won't be returning. The food was mediocre at best and $$ prices. The ice cream desserts are huge. read more

Great place for all ages! I enjoyed the singing and food! The waiters n waitresses will come up to you and sing to you no questions asked! The food is all great as well! I loved the sundaes, they were quite big It really fits the description of 50s style diner! RECOMMEND! read more

Our server Andrea was great, and the cherry shake was to die for :) such a fun ambiance!

We enjoyed our lunch here. The food was good - nothing special - but the staff was very nice and it's fun to hear them all singing throughout your meal. Don't worry, they don't sing your order back to you or get in your face and embarrass you. The wait staff just takes turns strolling through the restaurant singing songs. Most of the songs were popular music, but a few were religious songs. Like any good "attraction", you pay for your meal in the gift shop. read more

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If you order a salad make sure to ask for no mysterious black chunks with hair. music was incredibly loud and ear piercing at times when they're live singing. also way too overpriced for what you get. anywho here's pics of my salad. read more

Mel's Hard Luck Diner - no idea. was on my fork about to go in my mouth before seeing all of it at the bottom of the bowl. - Diners Near Me - Branson, Missouri

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Our group of 31 stopped at the shopping center to shop and enjoy lunch. We ran into a few locals that were waiting for the diner to open and reported to us that Mel's is a favorite for many years with singing waiters and waitresses. This was the most fun and delicious meal we've had during our several day stay in Branson. The singing wait stay were amazing and the food too. I ordered the most delicious chicken salad which had grapes, pecans and celery along with a side of mandarin oranges and crackers. My husband's banana split is the largest I've ever laid my eyes on and so delicious. So large that my husband said, "let's share". All the fresh ingredients with a whipped marshmallow topping. I shall never forget this dessert. Don't miss Mel's for the best dining experience!!! read more

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I was on vacation with 8 family members and stopped in to celebrate our cousin's birthday. The food was wonderful, the service was great and reasonably priced, especially with talented entertainment! Sarah was our server. We ordered the Santa Fe wrap, Mel's mushroom and Swiss burger, Reuben sandwich, and chili dogs. They also brought a great dessert for the birthday girl. We were so glad we stopped there. read more

If you like live entertainment, this is a great place to go for dinner. The servers are also talented singers, and they perform throughout the meal. There's a good variety to the music, as well. We happened to be there celebrating my mom's birthday, so they gathered several singers to serenade her--she loved it! The food is delicious. The Reuben sandwich is perfect. Desserts come with a LOT of ice cream. read more

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I was looking for a diner and (due to the holiday schedule) there were not many open. However, Mel's was open. It's a nice, typical diner with over-the-top desserts. The gimmick is the singing servers... and I think we heard 4 or 5 songs during our stay. Many classical anthems, but they snuck in a contemporary pop song too - which I think was great. The singers definitely have talent! I ordered the chili burger (no cheese). The patty was reminiscent of a Salisbury steak in terms of consistency. Please forgive me, but I do enjoy a Salisbury steak. I'm horrible, I get it. Also, I have a soft spot for battered fries. The portions are reasonable, maybe a touch on the lighter side. You exit through the gift shop with more CDs of your singing servers. It really feels like these artists are working their way until they make it big. I think if you know what you're getting into, you'll be pretty pleased. But if you wanted a quiet, non-disruptive environment - then you've been warned. read more

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I'm honestly shocked at how badly things went at Mel's Hard Luck Diner. We arrived and were waiting patiently to be seated, only to watch multiple groups who came in after us get seated first. When we asked about it, instead of getting a simple explanation or even a polite response, a staff member(the night manager) started telling us that she couldn't seat us separate which we were fine with. So we obviously said something and the manager started to get all crazy and unprofessional. I've never been treated so rudely at a restaurant. If this is how they handle their customers, I won't be coming back--and I definitely wouldn't recommend it to anyone who expects basic respect and fair service. read more

The place was super busy but moved quickly! We had a great time listening to the singing servers (some better than others lol) while we waited for our ice cream and fries. The sundaes arrived, and everyone's eyes were bugging out of their heads. "Two scoops" was more like four lol! Overall, nothing was particularly impressive but we had a good time. Gracie Lugo was our server and the most talented singer there. She was fabulous! read more

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This place gets an A+ in atmosphere and service! The wait staff are delightful and the decor and ambiance (with the singing) provide plenty of family-friendly cheer! We patronized this diner based upon a recommendation from a guide from the Titanic museum nearby. Otherwise, I don't think we would've found this place as it is kind of tucked away amidst the chaos of Branson's many attractions. In my opinion, the food, in terms of quality/flavor, is very average diner food. I've had some really good diner food but this would not be one of those occasions. My wife and I both had cheesesteak hoagies with onion rings. While the flavor won't necessarily make your tastebuds sing, the portion sizes are huge! You definitely won't leave hungry. See pictures. I also got a slice of carrot cake to-go, which came with vanilla ice cream. Again, portion sizes of both the cake and the ice cream were very generous. However, again, the flavor was just not there. The cake specifically was mostly carrot cake-flavored batter, and did not contain any of the ingredients you expect in a carrot cake with the exception of random pieces of nuts. So in short, in my opinion, you are paying for generous portion sizes and a delightful atmosphere. It's worth a stop for the wholesome experience alone. read more

Mel's Hard Luck Diner - Cheesesteak hoagie w/ onion rings and a chocolate milkshake - Diners Near Me - Branson, Missouri

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Had a fabulous time having lunch here! Husband said the foot long chili cheese dog was the best he has had with fresh homemade chili....he got through 3/4 of it. I had a patty melt....would have been better if the cook would consider cooking burgers to specified orders instead of well done. Best part was the entertainment! These ladies can sing and still took very good care of us service wise. We will definitely make a point of coming back next time we are in Branson. read more

Mel's Hard Luck Diner - Foot long chili cheese dog.....awesomeness ! - Diners Near Me - Branson, Missouri

Stopped here for lunch as it was recommended by the guy at the front desk of our hotel. Hubby got the open face roast beef and I got the chicken salad on a croissant. Both were tasty and the singing wait staff added entertainment. The chicken salad had grapes, apples, and pecans in it which added a crunch and sweetness. Prices were ok, about what you expect in such a touristy area. read more

Mel's Hard Luck Diner - Diners Near Me - Branson, Missouri

Atmosphere was great. Be open for a loud environment with all the hosts and hostesses singing songs every 5-10 minutes. Food was okay, at least our experience. Ordered a hamburger and it was over cooked for my liking - basically very well done. Outside of the atmosphere, the desert is a big draw as they offer over the top sized ice cream desserts, among other things, that can feed the whole family and for a pretty decent price. read more

Fun atmosphere with singing servers who were great! However the food was less than appealing. I had the sweet sensation salad and it was overloaded with mandarin oranges. Couldn't taste anything else. Lettuce was wilted. My husband had shrimp and fries and the fries were cold. Our chocolate lava cake and ice cream was okay. Disappointed that they were out of carrot cake. Not worth a return visit. read more

Great place and fun entertainment the root beer floats are amazing and huge!!! Have been here twice now.

Went in to get a quick bit to eat ! Mom and I shared a Ruben sandwich and fries ! The waiter told us he had been there for 26 years ! Jimmy was his name ! Service was great ! Food was very good ! Great place to listen to wait staff sing ! read more

Loved singing servers. Great talent. Food was a bit disappointing. Our server was great and she can really sing.

Unfortunately this has gone way down hill. Pre-Covid this place was great, however that is not the case any longer. The diner was dirty and needs deep cleaned. While I'm not typically one to care how the staff is dressed, there should be a dress code standard. Jeans and a tshirt would be fine- not shorts, baggy pants, unkempt hair, etc.. The food was awful as well. The burger was a frozen patty that was close to inedible. The bun was hard and cold. The only thing we enjoyed were the fries and shake. For two people and one child our bill was over $50. Unless major improvements are made we will not return. read more

Food was really good, and service was great. Better yet, your waiter will sing at some point. Great shakes, old school diner feel.

Good food, great music and singers. The waiters sing here and it's honestly impressive. Will come back next time we're in town. 5/5