Burger was affordable with the "all they way" topping. the menu is simple and the burger was delicious. The line move very quickly but I can taste it in the burger this was not made from cage free, grass fed, free roaming Californian cows. Every time I bit into the burger I want to cry and I can taste the suffering of these poor bovines. Yes I'm Californian read more

I haven't been here since the 90s...it's better than I remember. On top of that...they accidentally put hot sauce on a burger for a previous order, that person didn't want it so I got it for free! I have to say, I wasn't super excited about being routed by SIRI this way...but after lunch at Melvin's...I get it SIRI...you just want the best for me. If you haven't hit Melvin's...get right with Jesus and check them out...you will not be disappointed. read more

We ate here the other day and I really enjoyed the experience. If you like good sweet tea a burger or dog they will have you in and out in no time. Sometimes the line is long but it's fast. read more

Great local spot with great food , friendly staff at a great price. Happy place for everyone.

Was pretty good fast fast food. Service was friendly and food was ready within minutes. It's nothing fancy. Just burgers, dogs and chips. Good crust on the burger and a good amount of cheese. Only negative was they don't have toppings other than ketchup, mustard, onion, chili and slaw. I'm a gal that loves pickles. read more

Melvins' - Double cheese burger - ketchup, mustard, onion - Burgers Near Me - Elizabethtown, North Carolina

It is what it is, a great small town institution. No frills no options, but a rally cool old school place I'd definitely go back

This is my go-to burger spot! Well, actually it has been my favorite burger spot since the 80's.

We went in Melvins on friday and my wife ordered two mustard and chili and one mustard chili and onions. She was assuming they understood hot dogs and they assumed hamburgers. This being said, the very rude lady behind the counter proceeded to explain why WE were wrong and SHE was tight NEVER offering to correct the order. Some people need to learn basic manners. ANYWAY, the hamburgers were ok at best. read more

Great place for a regular, no frills burger. The menu is very simple. This is a great family location and the prices are great. I enjoyed a couple cheeseburgers and the freshness is obvious. The service is fast and the place is clean. This is a hole in the wall place (a compliment) which means it usually keeps regulars coming back due to its authenticity. read more

Melvins' - Cheeseburger - Burgers Near Me - Elizabethtown, North Carolina

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I don't know how I've gone through 29 years of life without having a burger from the south! Coleslaw and chili in my burger? Who would have known how much this would tickle my tongue! Word from the locals is that the burgers don't taste the same since the establishment was bought out. But, I have nothing to compare it to! I will definitely be checking out the farmers market where the original owners sell the ORIGINAL burger (meat) and let y'all know how it compares. (Did you catch that?..I'm turnin southern on y'all lol) Service is fast, within 30 seconds your order is ready! 2 homemade cookies for $1: macadamia but, oatmeal raisin, sugar, chocolate chip. No option to mix and match We got here at 1145 JUST in time to beat the 10 person line up behind us on our way out. Con: Burger is pretty small $2.55 (cheeseburger) Cash only read more

Melvins' - All the way cheeseburger (no mustard) don't be deceived by the sloppy presentation..it's SOO good - Burgers Near Me - Elizabethtown, North Carolina

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This is old school burgers that I crave!!! Sucks that it's cash only but extremely worth it!!! The place loves their military too!!

been going there for years since Pat & Ann Melvin owned it, has gone down hill Burgers are burnt and go small and over priced Hot Dogs undercooked.. very disappointed Randy Harris doesn't seem to care... read more

Melvins, if you like hamburgers and hotdogs this is the place for you. Because this is all they have. It reminds me of the little hometown restaurant of yesteryear. I enjoyed my food and the price was right, and I would recommend it to anybody stopping in Elizabeth town. read more

I wish I could of taken a photo but the burger was gone so quickly. Best burger for under $5. Seriously take the time to stop here it's amazing! The service was so fast and the burger was amazing. I cannot even describe how amazing they were. 10/10 read more

Stopped here for the "must-have" southern hot dogs and burgers. I must say I am impressed. I spent &25 for 6 Hots and 2 burgers for the family. The burgers were really good. However the burger patty it self didn't seem like fresh beef. The hot dogs were delicious and if I ever am in the area again It's a must stop! Chili was meaty and coleslaw was very good. The only downfall is there are no fries. Just hot dogs hamburgers and chips. read more

We always make a pit stop at Melvin's during our annual road trips from Florida to NC. I promise it is worth the wait. We buy these burgers by the handfuls. And Talk about "Fast" food. The employees have an impressive assembly line in place to get you in and out in a matter of minutes. Who knew simple ingredients could come together to make such an amazing burger?! My husband gets them "all the way" (onion, chili, slaw, mustard and ketchup). If you're passing through, I highly recommend you get in on the Melvin's experience. read more

Melvins' - Totally worth the wait! - Burgers Near Me - Elizabethtown, North Carolina

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Visited Elizabethtown for the first time today, and a friend mentioned this place. I almost pulled into "Melton's" down the street because of the similar name. So, watch for that. This place is a classic example of staying to a working simple formula. They serve hot dogs and hamburgers......that's it. "All the way" is the way to to go unless you don't like slaw, as they give you about two cabbages worth on a sandwich. The burgers are not huge, but so get two of whatever you order. They are tasty, though The prices are great - $2.40 for a burger and $1.59 for a dog. You can't hardly get it off the rolling meat grill at the gas station for that. Ambiance is very dated, but that's part of the charm. The counter service folks are very efficient. They have a fast systematic was of getting the food out to you fast. Bus folks some by and keep your drinks filled so you hardly have to get up. Which, is a good thing. My only complaint is the old fashion booths, which are VERY tight. I am a large guy, and I almost needed the jaws of life to exit it. That is obviously not the restaurants fault, unless of course I kept coming here, in which case the situation would get worse. So, if you're a big person, get it to go. read more

There is no point in coming to NC without coming here. The simple toppings, the lack of extra stuff, and the truly fast food service make this place the H in home. Once you taste the burger it also becomes the H in heck yeah I want more. The long line is absolutely nothing, it builds the anticipation. read more

Long time place for old school burgers. Come, get in line (it won't take long) - and get it all the way...well no onions for me, add hot sauce!! Love it! read more

10/10. One of the best places ever. This is mine & my families go to spot. The burgers & hot dogs are to die for!!!!

Had to try this place, old school burger shop, lived up to the hype. When passing through Elizabethtown try it. Dang it's fast service, packed for lunch. Cheeseburger all the way! read more

Melvins' - Burgers Near Me - Elizabethtown, North Carolina

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Traveling to Wilmington and stumbled upon this prize. BEST hamburger EVER and so fast!! I will return.

Simple burgers and hot dogs. No fries, but chips to save time. Always a line, but in and eating within 7 minutes with 25 people ahead of us. Limited seating but they are fast. Cash only to save cost. Everything item is under $3 bucks. 2 people, 2 burger, 2 chips, 2 drinks. $11. Definitely going back. read more

Seems every town across the Old North State has a good hamburger/hotdog joint but the Mecca for Hamburgers and Hot Dogs in NC is Melvin's in Downtown Elizabethtown. Nothing fancy just great fast food. Don't worry if there is a line, the Melvin's crew can produce great burgers & dogs within seconds. Just tell them what you want and your food is ready. If you prefer the Carolina Style of condiments (mustard, chili, slaw, and onions) this is your place. read more

Okay, I know that people are going to get crazy about my rating for Melvins, but let me explain. I'm giving 3 Stars, because to me, this place has not evolved, or has gotten any better over all of these years. They still do not accept credit/debit cards. And for some reason to me, the Burgers, which is the trademark of this store, continues to get higher, while it still does not taste any better. It's like the ingredients has changed drastically. read more

If I could give zero stars I would. The cashier was so rude I wanted to just walk out. This place has a billboard that advertises they are 1 of the top 100 best places to eat in NC. The cheeseburger isn't even hot enough to melt the cheese and the cashier rushed us through and made us very uncomfortable. My grandson is autistic and moves and thinks REALLY REALLY slow but he shouldn't be treated like an inconvenience at a restaurant because of it. I will NEVER go there a second time or recommend anyone to. read more

They serve burgers all the way with chili and coleslaw which you'd know is glorious on a burger if you've ever tried such a thing. Anyway, this should easily be 5 stars as this is a NC burger institution, but alas, I'm slapping 3 stars on it because of the 12 year old brat that took our order. She f'ed up the entire order and then sassed me up with some gibberish when I told her it was all wrong. I have a hard time understanding how you screw up an order when you're a business that only serves a single hamburger with your choice of condiments. That I can forgive actually, but why this girl decided she need to slop on the attitude is beyond me. I'd probably be less sensitive to the whole experience if I didn't just spend nine hours driving to this place for lunch and half a decade blowing this place up to my wife as the mecca of the carolina style burger. read more

As I plotted out places to stop for meals on this tour of North Carolina I tried to choose places that we love to eat and that Andrew and Aunt Annie have not been. Melvin's easily made the cut. Aunt Annie had been with us at Cain's in White Oak when they were still good and at Melvin's, but Andrew had not. I wanted him to get a sample of this, so kept my fingers crossed that it would be what I remembered. It was the same. I eat a lot of burgers and am tolerant of a wide range of styles and quality. I try not to compare across styles; pub burgers vs smashed flat-tops vs char grilled; simple versus embellished and so on. I guess Melvin's fall in the flat-top category, since that is how they are cooked as they are gradually smashed from a sphere to a truncated cylinder. It is fun to stand in the window and watch the process. The wonderful grill crust comes from the act of frying them in their own fat that is rendered from the rows and rows of patties cooking at the same time. This is not your 95% lean grass fed organic buffalo meat. If you are squeamish about high-fat ground beef, do not make the trip. But wonderfully, the finished product is not greasy. The grilled crust encloses a melt-in-your-mouth, moist patty that is seasoned with a little salt and a little finely ground pepper. They are served on a soft white bread bun with homemade chili sauce, very fine slaw, mustard and onions. I get mine without onion, but that is the only change. Andrew and I each devoured two and debated another, but elected the better part of valor. He and Aunt Annie actually debated seriously, trying to get back there from New Bern on the way back to RDU a few days later. What a wonderful place. It is a pleasure to watch the process as people pass smoothly and quickly through the line at lunch. Tons of these burgers get carried out but I can't imagine driving anywhere with a sack of these without dipping in and unwrapping one within a block of the store. Of all of the styles, mentioned above, many of them truly awesome, a burger from Melvin's (make that at least two) would be what I would choose to have available on a desert island. May they always be there because I shall return. read more

Its a classic burger with chili and slaw, nothing to special. They are fast, they are crowded and they are.....well all I can say is decent. They are far better than any fast food burger you will get and far faster at that. The chili, if that's what you want to call it, is runny and has little to no substance/flavor. The slaw was pretty darn good so that is a plus but in the end it is just another burger, well a step above another burger. If you are really looking for the best that NC has to offer when it comes to burgers you need to head to Southport (side note: there are actually things to do in that town as well so that's an added bonus!). When you get to Southport go to "Eric's Grill" and you will find the best burger in NC. The chili is plentiful and tasty, the slaw is home made and on point and the burger is perfect. The best I have ever had. I'm sorry, I wanted to love Melvins' but I think it's more of a local small town love affair than it is a great food destination. Eric's blows melvins out of the water any day of the week and to add to it Eric is actually nice to his customers and Military friendly. Final advice? Skip Melvins and that small town and head to Southport, you can thank me later. read more

You can have your 2/3rd pound patties and your fancy toppings. I want Melvins for the rest of my life. They offer burgers, cheeseburgers, and hot dogs - skip the cheeseburger, as that slice of American cheese just isn't necessary on this kind of burger. Melvin's serves small patties with an amazing grill crust, incredibly tender texture, with chili sauce, sweet fine chopped slaw and yellow mustard (no onion for me, thanks) on a simple white bun. These are so good I'm considering stopping by on the way back to the airport and having some for breakfast. Get two, they're small. This is the style that I want every time I eat a burger, but we can unfortunately never recreate it at home. Watching them cook on the flat top in the front window, they're using pretty finely ground beef, molded in to almost meatballs, and smashed flat on the griddle. It's definitely not low fat meat, and there are enough on the grill that the burgers are almost frying in the grease, resulting in a great grill crust. However, the burgers them selves are not inordinately greasy, even if there is a crazy amount floating on that griddle. Basically, this has to be the product of the critical mass of the full griddle and that frying effect - no way could you do this on a normal grill at home, unless you were to add more grease to achieve that crust. Maybe it's better for my waistline that I won't be able to do this at home...I'm not sure I would eat anything else. read more

This is a smash burger place. My first burger, the way they make it, was a little too crispy for me. They had no problem redoing it to my liking. The only things missing is FRENCH FRIES. I will be back and I'm not really a burger person, but their burgers are delicious. read more

Great places to eat! Friendly staff and pretty fair prices. They only take cash though!!!! there is also usually a long line but it's worth it. read more

Darn good burgers and hot dogs... but so far out of the way... and yet... worth a trip every once in a while. I haven't been to Melvin's, aka The Pool Hall, in quite a while, but that doesn't mean just thinking about their burgers and hot dogs doesn't make my mouth water! Mustard, slaw, chili, and onions. You don't need anything else. The place is uber popular, but even if there's a line, the trip's a breeze. The line moves really fast. The only challenge is getting a table. Delish! read more

Elizabethtown must-have" for locals, tourists, and just-passing-throughers. Its not a 5-star sit down, dress up lunch... its an old school burger joint with crazy fast & super friendly service. Burgers are outstanding. read more

This is the definition of a fast food restaurant . I only eat beef once a month and I wouldn't choose any other place in the Carolina's it's fast cheap and delicious I definitely had to go back for seconds than take some to go. I never seen my kid eat so much so fast outside of home it's a must it if you are in the area! I wish I was an octopus I would give this restaurant 8 up! read more

Good small town dive. Had the cheeseburger all the way, a hotdog all the way, and finished with a Dr. Pepper fountain drink. Pretty darn tasty and for $6. Was recommended by a local client. If you are in the area, it's worth the stop, for a greasy spoon joint. CASH ONLY. read more

Cheeseburger all the way... Done deal! Quick service. Don't forget about the sweet tea!!! read more

Melvins' - Cheese burger all the way. Mustard, onions, chili, and slaw. Don't let the mess fool y'all!! - Burgers Near Me - Elizabethtown, North Carolina

My friend's and I ate here Saturday afternoon! This has been a regular stop for me whenever I am in the area for many decades now! Fresh, hot, delicious burgers and dogs, served very quickly with a friendly demeanor. They even give free cookies to veterans when we buy our meals! Hard to beat! read more

Did we eat at the same burger joint??? I am looking at all of these four and five reviews and now realize that most of you don't know what a good Eastern North Carolina burger taste like. I love burgers and hot dogs and eat them often. The hamburger meat was dry, the slaw had no taste and the hot dog tasted like it was soaked in water. There are so many burger places but this is not it..... read more

Pretty cool place. Cash only and really quick. Burgers are good (little grill char on them). So there is a "crunch" to the party. I think cleaning the grill solves the issue. read more