Decades ago this area was just being developed from cow pasture to civilization. PO Melvins opened and started slinging the best lunch grub in the area. One of the few places to eat a great meal back then, is now lost amoungest the 7-11s and McDonald's. However,they've evolved from a big room full of tables to a comfortable restaurant with a creole them. All the food here will do the trick including, today's blackened catfish over dirt rice and my co-workers shrimp po-boy( legit) and hand cut fries. Go! read more

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A friend and I were overdue to meet for lunch, he raved about Po' Melvin's and suggested we meet there. As I had never been, it was an easy decision as I like to try new places. Upon arrival, we were quickly greeted by the hostess and seated without a wait. Within no time, the server arrived with water and gave us time to look over the menu. It is a relatively large menu with lots of options so I appreciated the extra time. For my entree, I decided to go with the Grilled Blackened Catfish which came with a bed of dirty rice and a salad. While waiting for our food, the server brought out a basket of bread rolls which were very tasty. After a relatively short wait, our food was delivered. While the catfish was not as blackened as I prefer, it was flavorful. My friend ordered the chicken fried steak and he thoroughly enjoyed it. That entree comes with 3 sides and give the size of the chicken fried steak, it makes for a lot of food. When it comes to service, everyone was friendly and welcoming which I aalways appreciated. The space is fairly large and seating consists of table/chair combos along with several booths. Additionally, there is a bar area in the back of the restaurant with seating. Based on what I could see, the bar appeared to be fully stocked. There are also a few TVs in the bar area. Overall, I was pleased with my first visit here and will definitely return to try other things on the menu. read more

Po Melvin's - American Near Me - Irving, Texas

This place is across the road from one of my absolute favorite spots in all of Irving, and honestly all of DFW, Empa Mundo, so I kind of felt like a cheating wife. It has been on my list to try for a while, so we finally stopped in on a lazy Sunday. It was not crowded at all. We ordered the chicken po boy to split, along with fries and a side salad (for my healthy hubby - but maybe the blue cheese dressing negates the healthy??). The sandwich was HUGE (as my husband likes to say "quantity is a quality all on its own"). I was very glad we spilt it. That said, I could easily be convinced the chicken was a frozen patty, since there was nothing particularly special about it. The fries looked so promising and homemade with that brown patina (think Five Guys), which had me excited, but they ended up flabby and not very hot, insert sad face. All in all, it is another DFW spot I am glad I tried once, but I do not feel the need to go back. read more

Po Melvin's - Chicken po boy. HUGE! - American Near Me - Irving, Texas

Well this is the second time around and ordered the meatloaf it is not and I repeat southern style meatloaf. The greens a spot on for taste did not like the little bacon bits in it and the boiled cabbage was good and carrots too.Tea is really weak for my taste. The jalapeño cornbread was a bust it tasted funny maybe they put shortening in it don't know but tasted old. Catfish was ok not fantastic needs Cajun seasoning and just one fillet you will get. Service is very attentive. Ambience is always relaxing though. read more

Po Melvin's - American Near Me - Irving, Texas

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Ordered to-go and left disappointed. The portion size was much smaller than expected, and the presentation looked like an afterthought. As someone who knows good Louisiana cuisine, this just missed the mark. The flavors lacked the richness and seasoning I was hoping for, and overall the meal didn't deliver the authentic Louisiana experience I expected. read more

I went there for lunch and I ordered the meatloaf. I was very disappointed. The meatloaf was like a hamburger patty that was pressed down so tightly that there wasn't any juice or even any taste to it. I also got the Black Eyed Peas, which was really a Black Eyed Pea soup. I couldn't even see really any Black Eyed Peas in there. and also not much of a taste. Very disappointing I know this places been there for a long time and I've eaten there on several occasions. But I won't be going there again read more

Food is always fresh and service is friendly & efficient. This meal was exceptionally good - shrimp po boy & pasta Lemane. An Irving staple. read more

Po Melvin's - American Near Me - Irving, Texas

Review is specifically for the current online ordering / to-go experience. In the past, I've always either called and placed an order with their very efficient (ex) bartender, Homero or went directly to the bar and placed my order, paid and had him bring it out to me. All happening in one location. At times he'd even offer me a drink while I waited. When calling got no answer, I decided to order online, only to find the prices listed for online orders were higher than the menu prices. So I figured I'd just go there and order at the bar like in the past. Got a confused, "deer in the headlights" look from the new bartender who told me to go order up front at the host stand. The person staffing the host stand was having trouble keeping up and I had to wait a very long time to place my order. Partially due to everytime she took an order she had to walk clear across the restaurant back to the bar area to get the check for the individual to sign. Or she was walking back there to get food orders. I guarantee you she gets her 10,000 steps in every day. After I finally paid and ordered, I informed her I'd be sitting in a nearby booth waiting for my order. She never brought me my order even though she walked by me many times bringing orders to others who were waiting. I finally asked another person and they found my order sitting on a table near the host stand. No clue how long it had been sitting there. Not having any confidence in their abilities at this point, I verified on the attached receipt that my order was correct. It was!!! YES!!! But when I got home and opened the bag, my order was wrong! Ugh! The restaurant remodel and new menus are nice, but I guess at the expense of efficiencies in ordering. Was so easy and accurate with Homero--he'd verify the contents were correct before giving the order to me. At this point I doubt I'd ever return. At least not for a to-go order. read more

Po Melvin's - Menu prices - American Near Me - Irving, Texas

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Stuffed Bell Peppers: delicious. Green beans: yummy. Red Beans& Rice: classic. Pork Chops: super thin and tasty. Cajun Rice: ok. Ice Tea: weak. Service: not bad, never could tell which of the five (or was it six?) folks service the whole time was the actual waiter for the table. read more

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The old nostalgia touch is no longer there ! Went there and they have remodeled and majority of the celebrity photos from the past are gone sadly and the strange exotic catches as well ! I miss the nostalgia ! The menu is smaller on items now I believe also, they use to have green onions on the tables to snack on which are gone ! read more

My friend and I went there last night for dinner and got it to go . The food wasn't tasty and had a weird taste to it . Like it was about to go bad . My friend got the meat loaf and it was grey in color like it lost all of it color . He did say he enjoyed the gravy . My chicken fried chicken was tasty but my mash potato's had a weird sour taste to it and my red bean and rice where the same . I was hoping it gonna be better but I don't think we will be going back read more

Po Melvin's - American Near Me - Irving, Texas

I was so excited to try this Cajun place because I love the type of food, but after one trip I'll probably never go back, we ordered to go, got the chicken fried steak po boy and a blackened catfish on a bed of dirty rice, the po boy and fries were large but very mid. The catfish was not even close to blackened and lightly seasoned, the "bed" of rice was a thin layer under the fish (less then a 1/3 cup of rice), the piece of bread was decent and maybe the best part of the meal, the rice was bland and had NO meat which makes dirty rice dirty, the worst part of the meal was that we walked in to order to go, then when our food was ready, the 2 little girls in the front were playing around for about 10-15 minutes while our food was just sitting there ready. It wasn't until we said something that they checked if it was our food. The ambiance was cool, too bad everything else wasn't. They get 2 stars because their fries were good. read more

Have been several times over the past month and at this point 2 stars is generous at lunchtime. We have ordered several items and only the fried shrimp and fried catfish are good. The roast beef is chewy and tasteless, the chicken fried steak today smelled spoiled, the poboy bread is way too dense to be authentic and the sides have no flavor at all. Not what you expect from a Cajun restaurant. The service is sparse and chaotic. You really need to do better Po Melvin's. read more

Sadly, the food here is not nearly as good as it used to be. The last time I ordered I requested a refund. I haven't been back.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Old Fashioned. Hit the spot after a long day of seminars. Mixed just right and a good price. read more

Po Melvin's - Chocolate Peanut Butter Old Fashioned - American Near Me - Irving, Texas

Used to be good see why the resturant was empty at dinnertime SUX now in there Food toooooo salty and stale from lunch

Old go to spot, the food is consistent. Had the hot wings and cranapple salad. They don't seem to be as busy as they were, but there could be many factors for that. read more

Came in just to try with some friends. Service was good and we were promptly greeted and seated. It was a very relaxed place. The decor was neat. Each booth had a street sign from Louisiana. As for the food it was just ok. The fried shrimp coulda used a little more spice and fries could have been crisper. I'd probably go elsewhere next time tho read more

Peyton was our host and he was really nice!!! The vegetables were home cooked and cut like the okra and the black eyed peas . i was not really impressed with my entree but they were kind enough to remove it from my bill. My husband had grilled blackened catfish greens and peas and liked all of it. read more

Really only giving 2 stars due to the friendliness from the front desk person. My order was for a pick up order. The fries were honestly indelible. I picked it up myself and started eating it once I got in the car. With that being said it didn't make sense why the fries tasted so bad. They were lukewarm and had absolutely no flavor or texture. The shrimp po'boy was a huge disappointment & I felt like I was practically forcing myself to finish it, due to Joe hungry I was. It was bland & just overall not a good sandwich. Unfortunately I will not be back again. read more

Po Melvin's - Fried Shrimp Po Boy - American Near Me - Irving, Texas

Stopped by this restaurant driving through Irving. Ordered a pasta dish with chicken. it would have been better if I got my silverware right away, had to wait a few minutes. I wasn't pleased with the young bartender who was all over the place but I wa most perturbed when he started raising his voice and arguing with what looked and sounded like some regular customers. That was a turn off, not too inviting. all in all the pasta was good, ambience not so much. read more

I had the lunch catchfish filet meal. Serving size for the filet was colossal and cooked to perfection. Very clean flavor and not fishy at all. The tartar sauce perfection. I really enjoyed my plate. Some of the veggies lack a bit of flavor but regardless I appreciate that it appears to be fresh vegetables. Make sure you order beignets for dessert, you will not regret it. read more

Ordered an iced tea with dinner through Grub Hub,the driver didn't speak English. Husband didn't drink his tea but kept it into the fridge. The next morning he poured it into his Yeti cup,out came tea and a plastic bag. Did it have ice in it that melted? Idk but I won't order from here again. read more

Great service, food and drinks. Football playing all on TV's. The owner Melvin made us feel at home read more

Po Melvin's - Sampler Plate -meat Louisiana Spicy Fried Pies -fried shrimp -boudin balls -egg rolls - American Near Me - Irving, Texas

Not really a good place to eat. The place is dated from the decore to the old furniture. The food was very bland with no flavor. I had ordered the pot roast and it was greasy. The only good thing about this place was the young man who waited on me. I hope he finds a more successful restaurant so he can make some good money. My 2 star is for him. This place needs to be on a a show that helps restaurants. I hope they change for thier sake. read more

This is one of the worst Cajun places I've ever been in. We were seated and despite their being only one other table with people it still took 10 minutes for someone to come over and they didn't bring or offer water. I know, minor complaint. They also only had RC products. For some reason, it seems like if they choose to offer RC drinks only, the place is always below average. In this case I ordered sweet tea. It was like drinking syrup over ice. I could only manage a few sips. But, the restaurant smelled okay, just not like food. I had read mixed reviews on the food and decided to start with the gumbo figuring if it was good we'd order full plates of entrees. Instead, it was one of, if not the, worst gumbo I have ever had. No flavor although it smelled of file. I try to find at least something good to say about any place I go and the staff here were nice enough. However, they will never get another dime of my my money. I'd rather have a frozen burrito from 7-11. read more

Great family owned place with friendly staff. Brought my family there many times and always enjoyed it every time.

We ordered gumbo that had no discernible veggies, frozen small shrimp and no sausage. Also the rice was hard. Also we ordered jalapeño cornbread that was overcooked and had a tangy taste. Service was good. Would not recommend. read more

Probably among the best Southern/Soul Food I've eaten. The black eyes peas are INCREDIBLE Reasonably priced, fresh, pretty much ALL home made. Every choice is a good choice. read more

We went in on a Wednesday evening. I'm not sure if they've changed ownership, but the food is definitely not how we remember. My husband had the fried pork chops, green beans, and corn. I had the chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, dams....i mean yams,and greens. The thin pork chop and overcooked chicken fried steak, were not good, but not the worst that I've had. Decent seasoning, but lackluster. That seems like a running theme for restaurants these days, and I don't understand why. Sides, mid, sweet tea, good. The star of our meal was the server. She was very attentive and kind. It's rare that someone tells you that their job is "fun". I love that for her. The vibe was expected, with the exception of booth seats with rather large holes in them. In a word, disappointing. read more

Oh my gosh! The food was delicious and the staff were really welcoming. We had chicken and dumplings, mango salsa grilled prawns appetizer, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, steamed cabbage, a sample of their beef with gravy. Wow! If we ever come back to the Dallas area, we already decided we are coming back to try more and I want that beef dish. Yum! I would love to rate 5 stars but the bathroom needs some TLC. read more

Authentic. Southern. Cooking. The jalapeño corn bread is amazing. Chicken fried chicken is tender and mouth watering delicious. Pork chops had perfect seasoning and juicy. Wait staff was great. Ice cold beer! Plenty of free parking! read more

Po Melvin's - Chicken Fried Chicken - American Near Me - Irving, Texas

Good service but horrible food. I ordered Gumbo, Okra with roll. Gumbo was normal with barely any shrimps ( I Guess Shrimps are on Vacation) Rolls taste like sitting in the kitchen for few days. My tooth really ache after trying one of the rolls. Okra taste and looks like few days old Overall horrible food quality. I paid $20.00 including tips. Food worth is below $2.50 Gordon Ramsey, Please come and assist this below standard joint in our neighborhood. read more

Great service. Good prices. Easy parking. The food unfortunately wasn't really to my liking. However I haven't tasted a good Cajun spot in the DFW yet. read more

I would normally have this place a five star rating but not today. I got my usual chef salad and they have changed. There was all kinds of stringy greenery on it which was completely unnecessary. That's just needs to be left off. They don't put those good green onions out on the tables anymore like they used to, they don't have Coke or Pepsi products anymore. I asked if I had 7-Up and her answer was kind of shaky. They brought what was supposed to be a 7-Up out to me but it sure didn't taste like one. Not happy with today's visit at all. read more

Po Melvin's - American Near Me - Irving, Texas

Let me start off by saying this: I don't give many five star reviews. Po Melvin's deserves it. Living in Carrollton, and driving to Irving for dinner doesn't seem altogether normal, but my wife works near there, and has been there a few times, and knew I would like it. Boy, was she right!! I love a good hole - in - the - wall place, and Po Melvin's fits the description. It's in an older strip center that has seen better days. Once you step inside though, the decor is well updated, and nicely appointed. One thing I liked immediately was the banquettes were large enough that you didn't feel squeezed in. Additionally, the place was very clean. A final atmosphere point, classic soul music played non-stop to the very multi-cultural crowd of patrons. I loved it! I ordered the fried shrimp platter, which came with a very crisp side salad and french fries that were good. The shrimp was perfect. No, really! You just can't get shrimp that good just anywhere. This was like having dinner on the coast. The only things missing were the sounds of surf and sand between my toes. The breading on the shrimp was very light and crispy, and the shrimp was so delicate. My wife had the chicken and dumplings. With a lot of freshly cooked and shredded chicken paired with melt in your mouth dumplings in a nice veloute, it was one of the best versions I've had. I also tried my wife's yams. Think sweet potato pie without the crust. So good. Additionally, we got a to go order for our son. He had the roast beef and gravy over rice with green beans and red beans and rice. The red beans and rice were perfect. Some final points. Service was excellent, just like the food. My wife spotted a coworker across the way. They used to live in Irving, but have since moved to Aubrey. That's about an hour away. Yes, the food is well worth driving that far just for dinner. I'd do it too. read more

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I can't believe it took me so long to try this place out! Truly exceptional food and service, with a nice homey ambiance. I would highly recommend the shrimp po' boy and the red beans and rice along with their jalapeño cornbread and peach cobbler. Can't wait to come back and try their other items, though, knowing me, I'll end up getting the same thing every time. Certainly worth a try if you're in the neighborhood and looking for some local flavor. read more

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This was our first time at Po' Melvin's. The restaurant itself gives cozy small town dive bar vibes. The staff was very friendly and our server was happy to recommend his favorite dishes. He even brought a sauce he knew would taste good with the fried shrimp Po Boy. The fries, bread and butter, and seafood gumbo were amazing! Overall, I am excited to come back and try more dishes. read more

EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED that the menu states "CATFISH" when the restaurant DOES NOT serve "CATFISH". The fish is "SWAI"!!! Please let people know BEFORE they order that it is Swai. Thanks read more

We recently celebrated my husband's birthday at Po' Melvin's. It had been at least a decade since we had been there due to relocating. But we have always loved it! Melvin catered our Wedding Rehearsal dinner. Our most recent visit was amazing! The food and service were 2nd to none. HUGE shoutout to Cindy and Darrel (#2) for their incredible service! We had a group of about 25 and they were so accommodating. Always willing to help and serve with a smile and great attitude. Thanks again! read more

Po Melvin's - Our awesome waiters! Cindy and Darrel (#2) - American Near Me - Irving, Texas