Melly Mell’s

This business appears to be closed. Drove by today to finally check it out and was disappointed.

I got take out from Melly Mel’s and IT WAS SO DELICIOUS that I am already planning my next meal from there.
Thanks so much to all the Unilocalers that convinced me to try this place because I never would’ve heard of it. I also never would’ve found it if someone hadn’t posted that it’s located in the basement of Genesis something (go through the side doors). I have to admit that when I got to the address, I thought I was in the wrong place or that someone was playing a cruel prank on me.
I ordered chicken and waffles, which were ready by the time I arrived. The woman who worked there was soooo friendly and nice, which always makes ya like a place a little more.
I was full of anticipation during the car ride home because the food smelled so so so amazing. It tasted even better. The chicken (came in wings btw, which I wasn’t expecting so if you want thighs with your waffle specify that on the phone) was so perfectly cooked and seasoned. I can’t even describe it but it’s on my short list for best chicken wings/​fried chicken I’ve ever had. Can’t wait to go back and try the non-​wing fried chicken to see if it’s just as amazing. The macaroni and cheese was also really yummy.
I’ll be back :)

Overall the whole dinning experience was horrible. Horrible customer service, it took forever for them to take our order, serve us and to check on us. The employees came off as lazy. I ordered mashed potatoes and I know they came from a box. The chicken was decent but there are better places in Madison.

I’ve been in Madison for about 4 weeks for work and had to eat out every meal. Aside from a couple steakhouses Melly Smells is the best place I’ve been. I got three pieces of fried chicken; a leg, thigh and breast. I also got Two sides of Mac and cheese and baked beans. The chicken was fantastic. It was freshly made to order and came very hot. The breading was crisp and tasty. I think there was a sprinkle of lemon pepper on the chicken for an added oomph. The breading was not heavy handed and the chicken was moist and delicious.
My sides were really good. The Mac and cheese was creamy and not over done. I would have liked a touch of crunchyness such as corn or crumble topping, but it was still good on its own. The baked beans were the best I’ve had in the area. They had a smokey tangy sweetness that I like and there was some meat (pork sausage or ground beef?), which added some flavor and texture.
Lastly I got peach cobbler with ice cream for dessert. It was excellent.
Overall the service was very good. I was the only customer in the restaurant at the time and Kelly came out to talk. We had friendly conversation and we talked about other places I’ve eaten while in the area. I even got to toss a Frisbee with her granddaughter. I will be back for some BBQ on Thursday. If its as good as tonight I’ll leave Madison happy.

We came here on a Thursday night hungry for some delicious chicken we’ve been hearing about.
Just do a GPS navigation from Unilocal and it’ll get you there. It’s located in the basement of the Genesis Enterprise center, follow the restaurant signs and it’ll get you to the parking lot.
We ordered the 2 pc White Meat Chicken Special $ 8 (Wednesday night special now served as a daily special) with green beans and fried onions & potato, Thursday Baby Back Rib Special $ 7 with yams and Mac & Cheese, 2 corn muffins, Peach cobbler $ 3, and Banana Pudding $ 3.
Melly’s daughter graciously took our to go orders, and even gave us dessert samples to try. Very friendly service, as others said, it’s like being in the kitchen of Melly’s home.
Our wait didn’t seem long since we just chatted with Melly and her daughter. They have been catering for 7 years and have been in their current location for 3.
For such a small establishment, they have more sides and dessert items than any chain I know! Melly’s daughter informed us everything is homemade and made from scratch.
And you can tell. The chicken had deep, complex flavors throughout the meat, not just in the breading. The green beans had a garlicky flavor and the fried onions and potato were amazing! The ribs had the perfect tang to the sauce, and the meat was tender. The yams were like a dessert themselves — sweet! The Mac & Cheese had the right ratio of noodles and cheese, not smothered, but not skimpy either. The corn muffins were so soft, they crumbled to our forks! A crumbly, honey delight!
Save some room for the encore that is dessert! Get the peach cobbler when available, and heat it up — it’s the best! The banana budding was equally remarkable.
For the price of these morsels, skip KFC and come straight to Melly Mell’s!

Amazing. The chicken here is perfect; it has a very interesting seasoning like nothing I’ve had on fried chicken before, and it packs quite a flavor to complement the crunchy, masterfully fried wing.
I also had the catfish which was excellent, along with four sides: baked beans, black-​eyed peas, mac and cheese and french fries. Both the beans were plenty tasty, the baked beans especially with their sweet peppery sauce and hamburger bits. The mac and cheese was also good, I recommend mixing it with the beans.
I will say the fries left something to be desired, however they seem an afterthought given the rest of the fare.
Do yourself a favor and find the entrance (it’s on the side of the office building) and descend those stairs, this place is a gem.

Prices are low but portions are small, so expect to get at least two dishes to fill you up which will definitely cost more than the prices the menu appears to be.
Fried chicken wings: Crust was almost overly lemony/​seasoned, but the flavor was still very good and quite unique. Chicken meat was moist and juicy. Definitely among the better wings I’ve had.
Catfish Fillet: A singular fillet ended up costing $ 9, which is quite expensive even though the size of the fillet was pretty big. The crust was a classic, crispy cornmeal breading, which would’ve been even nicer if it had some more spices and seasoning. However, it was still pretty good.
The place is really run down but the interior actually feels somewhat homey and relaxing.
Will definitely be coming back. Probably won’t be getting the catfish again because of the price, but for chicken I will be a frequent visitor.

Great chicken. great sides… great prices! I can hardly wait to go back! Mel was a wonderfully nice person and an East High grad to boot!

The food was great (except for the catfish bites. Those were the most disgusting things I’ve ever tasted) but get carry-​out. Don’t dine in. The service was so bad it was comical. The waitress took our orders while on her cell phone, they forgot the syrup for my chicken and waffles until I asked for a box for my leftovers, they forgot all of our side dishes, and they had a feral child running around poking people in the back whilst throwing paper airplanes in our faces and digging through my purse.

Good chicken. Great Mac and cheese. Don’t forget to save room for the peach cobbler. Say ‘hi’ to melly for me

Come for the fried chicken, but stay for the dessert!
Melly Mel’s may be hard to find, but it’s soooooo worth the effort. Once you locate the poorly marked entrance and descend a long flight of stairs covered with threadworm grey carpet, the welcoming aromas of the kitchen will guide you the rest of the way.
Despite the unassuming exterior, the interior of the basement restaurant is spacious, clean and well lighted. The eclectic décor and mismatched tables and chairs create a homey vibe for those who venture in.
The highlight of any trip to Melly Mel’s is when owner /​chef Carmell «Mell» Jackson pays a visit to your table. Even if you’re in the sourest of moods when you enter the restaurants, your conversation with the effervescent Mell will brighten your day.
What you need to know:
* The fried chicken is the star attraction at Melly Mels. The meat is juicy and far more delectable than any $ 7 plate of chicken has any right to be. The coating is has a wonderful crunch, not greasy at all. Best of all, it is served piping hot — there are no heat lamps at Melly Mel’s — everything is made to order. With a little hot sauce sprinkled on top, eating this fried chicken was a near life-​altering event…
* There is an extensive breakfast menu. It has the usual fare (eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage, etc.) as well as chicken and waffles.
* The lunch deals are a fantastic bargain. For $ 7, you get a generous main course, two sides and a drink.
* The sides were hit or miss for me. I loved the cornbread muffin and the fried potatoes and onions. The black-​eyed peas and rice & gravy not so much. The yams and the mac and cheese ordered by my dining companions looked promising.
* If you are looking for a quick meal, this is not the place to go. Because of the made to order nature of the food and the volume of carry out orders, give yourself a good hour and a half for lunch.
My last piece of advice: DO NOT LEAVE UNTIL YOU ORDER DESSERT. I love, love, love, love, love, love the desserts at Melly Mells. On my first visit, I had the strawberry cake with a smooth cream cheese frosting. My second visit featured a lemon pound cake. Both were out of the oven fresh and both were Oh.So.Delicious. ‘nuf said. Just get the dessert, trust me.

Map it.
Map it again.
Know you’ll get lost.
But know that deep down in a basement off the Beltline lies the best fried chicken you will ever eat. No question. It’s juicy. It’s flavorful. Whatever spice combination that chicken is dredged in before frying is of the gods. It’s incredible. And you can get simply white, just the dark, or a combo of white and dark.

Melly Mel makes arguably the best fried chicken in Madison. If you are a «foodie» get here. Talk to Mel. Order again. Talk some more. Try everything. It is the experience that you want. That’s what we did and it was great.
If you’re not a foodie stay away. You won’t like it because the location is far away. The signage is propped against a wall if it’s even out on display at all. The décor is weird and unmatched. The music selection might be a little too 90s for you.

OK, let’s talk about Melly Mell’s. The location is odd and unexpected. The décor is humble and eclectic. And Melly, she is a force — energetic, funny, hospitable and one hell of a Chef. She is surrounded by family ²⁴⁄₇ and there is never a dull moment. Eating the food was like traveling down south. I’d been dreaming of fried chicken for weeks so I ordered that (all dark meat) with mac & cheese and greens. They initially forgot my greens so when Melly found out, she went back, got them and also gave me a corn muffin as a sweet apology. The chicken was juicy, had a perfect crust, was not at all greasy, with hints of pepper, vinegar & just the right amount of salt. The mac & cheese was creamy and cheesy without being mushy — the pasta was cooked perfectly. The greens were tender & flavorful adding a nice bit of bitterness to balance out my meal. The corn muffin was fall-​apart tender, just the right amount of sweetness with a hint of cinnamon that I’ve never had before in corn bread, but it really worked. My husband got the Philly cheese steak with fries. His first comment after 2 bites was: I will order this again! It was crazy good, unexpectedly so. The meat was super flavorful and tender with just the right amount of cheese. It was perfect, didn’t need a thing. The fries were nothing to write home about, but they were good. We left with a take-​out menu, smiles on our faces and we look forward to our next meal. Thanks, Melly!

Been here twice– gotta try something besides the greens and yams as far as sides go, but they’re so good I got them each time… The fried chicken is nothing short of perfect and I don’t think I’ve had better anywhere else. My only concern is the speed of the service– I have no problem waiting for good food, but if you’re trying to make it in and out over your lunch hour and have to get back to work it might be tight (Mel acknowledged and apologized for this last time as they were slammed with take-​out orders). I think they cater and I would definitely give them a try for that if the opportunity presents. I think between Melly Mell’s and JB’s on Park (also worth going to!), I’d say Melly’s had an edge on the food (and more seating) but JB’s is more convenient (location and speed).

Today’s lunch at Melly’s is among the top two meals I’ve had since moving to Madison. The food is so good, it had to be more than a recipe that made it; nothing but pure wisdom could have produced the 6 – 7 items we had off the menu so perfectly tender, crispy, juicy, tart, bitter, and sweet.
The chicken is available everyday, and was made to order. It came out crispy, piping hot, and seasoned with a bit of sour and salt. I recommend pairing it with the baked beans and potato salad, or whatever Melly recommends. Can’t choose which side? They’re all delicious. The mixed greens and mac n cheese alongside the rib tips — Thursdays special — were like taking part in a little bit of Americana.
The walls are filled with family photos, which is as homey as one can get. The comfort of good food and family vibes feels good for my belly.

Fantastic food made to order, but tricky to find, and not a fast lunch. Plan on getting the peach cobbler to go.
The focus here is on the food. Mell’s fried chicken is incredible, with or without waffles. Her biscuits and gravy is amazing. I’ve not had better catfish in Madison. Her cobblers are out of this world when fresh, and well worth picking up even once they’re in the fridge.
The food can be somewhat inconsistent, depending on who is working in the kitchen. Sometimes the black eyed peas are better than I’ve ever had elsewhere; sometimes they’re unremarkable.
Beverage choices are limited to water and canned soda.
You’d do well to call your order in if you’re looking for a lunch in under an hour, especially if you’re going with a group of more than four.

Very good. As an out of towner, I’m disappointed with the location. It is very difficult to locate. With that being said, it was quite good. The chicken rivals my mothers or mine. The catfish was very good, but a little overpriced (despite everything else being a good value). They don’t really have the entire soul food menu available everyday. They have daily specials and traditional american food, i.e. burgers, hot dogs etc, all the time. They do have the sides available and they were very good. They were very home cooking/​from you mama’ recipe. Overall, good food but need a better location. If they were downtown, they would make a crap load of money.

Oh. My. GOD. Cannot begin to describe how good this food is. Seriously, I have gotten so many things on this menu and every single one has been divine. I am obsessed with fried fish and am really picky about the way it’s prepared and this place has some of the best fried catfish I’ve ever had! Their tartar sauce is also homemade and delicious. I usually don’t really enjoy macaroni and cheese because to me, it always tastes sort of processed, too cheesy, or lackluster, but this macaroni and cheese is something else. Oh boy! Even thinking about it makes my mouth water. If you thought you didn’t like fried chicken… this place will change your mind immediately. The greens are perfectly flavored, the cornbread creamy yet crumbly somehow, and the red velvet and caramel cakes are OUT OF THIS WORLD. Not only is the food AMAZING, but Melly Mell, the owner, makes you feel like you’ve known her for years the minute you walk in the door! It is always like a party in there and if you arrive by yourself, the owner and her entourage will make you feel right at home. If there is one place you MUST go for soul food in Madison it is Melly Mell’s.
P. S. The prices are very affordable, too! Cannot recommend this place enough. :D

Yummy chicken and waffles cooked to order plus nice, friendly service.