Melanie’s Juice Bar, Restaurant & Bakery

They went to get the flour and now they are kneading… they went to trinii to get the meat … the sun was still up when I ordered.
Server never came back to reassure that foodwould eventuallycome out our giveus am eta of meal. he dead passed my party several times with out even saying a hello. I felt like crying cause I never been treated like this. the manager sees ppl upset doesnt address the issue… cooking times are longer than traveling to trini to get the food and delivering the food on the bike to the u. s…
Maybe it’s changed. i doubt it
FYI this review was based off experience for their re-​opening I believe least yr during the summer.

Where do I even begin??? I can’t believe this place is actually in business! We went in for Sunday brunch with a party of 8 and it literally took 1 hour before they brought out the first plate of food, ONE PLATE AT A TIME!!! They never even gave us something as simple as water. I asked the waitress why was the food coming out one plate at a time. She said she was the only waitress. I asked her if she was cooking it as well. (Note: The waitress was very nice. This review is about the restaurant, not the waitress herself.) When my wife’s food finally came, it was not prepared as we asked. (Note: The waitress was nice enough to bring out a fresh properly prepared meal.) If you have all the time in the world, don’t mind your food cold, then this place is for you, but if you’re used to BASIC restaurant service, avoid this place like the @$&# plague.
WORST EXPERIENCE EVER!!!

I used to go to the old Melanie’s weekly when I first moved to Bed-​stuy in 2010 and until it closed sometime 2012. because of the location and their consistency It was my favorite place to get a roti and their doubles weren’t bad either. The food was always fresh, hot and there were many combinations to choose from to suit whatever mood I was in that day. Yes the service was a bit slow and sometimes I would leave to go elsewhere if I was in a hurry, but I always knew I would return for their great deals and nice relaxing communal cafeteria atmosphere.
Unfortunately, that Melanie’s is now dead. It’s too bad as I would have gladly given that Melanie’s a 5 star review. Unfortunately this 1 star review is for the abomination that arose from the ashes of a perfectly good restaurant.
The new Melanie’s is a tacky pseudo night club/​bar that is completely out of place on the busy corner of Fulton and Nostrand avenues. Their sudden and unexpected identity crisis took away what everyone went there to buy, a cheap and delicious lunch, and replaced it with bad taste, psychedelically illuminated pillars, and an atmosphere that totally alienates their previous customer base. I don’t think they are even open during the day anymore! What used to be a go-​to spot for hundreds of regulars in the neighborhood and even people that would drive in just to get a taste, is now another failed bar that tried to prematurely take advantage of the up and coming neighborhood while simultaneously flushing their identity down the drain.
At first i shook my head in disbelief at what they were trying to accomplish, now I shake my head in sympathy seeing it empty every night of the week since it re-​opened with their employees staring out it’s vast windows waiting for a crowd that will never arrive.
In my opinion it was a poor choice in a business move, I’m sure they will be closed permanently soon as they are probably deeply in debt from the construction and loss of profit. Life in the neighborhood moves on though, there are plenty of other options for a quick Trinidadian lunch here. Also, I’m sure that Ali’s Roti, Trini Gull, A&A bake and doubles, and the slew of new Jamaican restaurants that have opened in the past few months really appreciate the influx of business they received from the refugee diners expelled from the old Melanie’s.
Sorry to have lost a great place to eat. RIP, no offense.

So my family had a event dinner there on April 26, @ 6. My family members was there early but my mom and I was a little late.
We got there a little before 7 and was out of one of the appetizers already which only 3 of my family members ordered. Wth?
They green salad has peppers in it. Wth?
I ordered the oxtails with Spanish rice.
Lady told me because we were late, they ran out of Spanish rice & spinach rice. All they had was rice and peas and white rice. The service was slow. For a family of 30. We had 2 waitresses. Why? I have no clue but they took care of my older family members.
Our food comes around 9:00. The oxtails was good. Plantains taste like chips. And the rice and peas were dry as heck. I don’t even like rice and peas much. But it wasn’t suppose to be that dry.
Overall the food was a ³⁄₁₀. Thank god I didn’t pay for it. Then I would of been complaining to the owner.

Stumbled in here tonight when the lights made me think «what’s this doing on Fulton Ave on the middle of 99 cent stores and nail salons. Glad I did! It is a great addition and looks like it could be a trendy, yet cheap spot. I came in the day but I’d totally love to come back on a Fri or sat night.
You can get beers for $ 5 here. Had the jerk chicken wings and they hit the spot. As it is Caribbean/​Indian place, they have wings and roti on the menu. Can’t go wrong there!
Bartender was a very nice and friendly Trini woman. Nice to talk to as I ate my yummy wings and sipped on beer.

Having heard this place advertised frequently on Irie Jam radio, I went to check it out for Sunday lunch. First off, I only gave it 4 out of 5 stars because most of the familiar Caribbean menu items were pricier than I am used to paying.
The space is bright, colorful and clean. Moreover, it was not the least bit crowded on a Sunday brunch. For just $ 7 I had Caribbean salt codfish with hot sauce and the most delicious puffy fried bread ever. Even better, my waitress was super sweet and OMGorgeous… I’m a lesbian; it doesn’t get any better than that!
Nothing was too salty, and the chopped fish came studded with red and green peppers on a lettuce leaf, so it was nice to look at too.
I will definitely be back to try more of the menu.

I really enjoyed the food before their renovation.
I stopped going there for a very long time because the customer service was TERRIBLE !!
I gave them another chance when they re-​opened in July 2013.
They must have changed the chef. I went 3 times and every time the food was bad.
Needless to say, I walk by there all the time and never see anyone dining there.
Melanie’s …what happened?

First time here and directions weren’t followed. Curry chicken (which is what I ordered) is very different from stew chicken (which is what I got). Do your jobs people.

Wanted to write a review, but this place closed a couple of months ago. RIP Melanies.

I visit NY twice a year and always make sure to eat at Melanie’s, my favorite spot for West Indian food. I’ve taken all my friends as well. I went this trip time and they are closed temporarily for renovation or something?
The oxtail, and stewed chicken are delicious! They fall right off the bone. The spinach, channa, yams, chick peas, and stewed veggies are all delicious as well.
The restaraunt is right outside the A train Nostrand stop so it’s very convenient.

Me and some coworkers came here for lunch and it was packed. Its a small buffet enclosed counter with small tables to eat. We ordered take out and I wasn’t disappointed. I had the curry chicken, rice and peas and plantains and it was delicious. I also tried «doubles» (A Trinidadian dish) for the first time and fell in love with them. They’re like a sandwich made with flat fried bread filled with curried chick peas beans and I had some Tamarind sauce in it and it was simply delicious. Prices were affordable and I would definitely return.

I went here around lunchtime on a Saturday. It had been a few years since I had Melanie’s. I ordered my old usual, vegetable roti with callaloo, spinach, and potatoes with hot pepper sauce. When I finally ate it, the food tasted good, but the pepper sauce did not give it the kick I was used to. I hope it’s because they didn’t give me enough and not because the pepper sauce has lost its flavor. The roti is huge and enough for two people to share.
The ordering line was chaotic. Something that should have taken three minutes took ten because they were out of the food the people ahead of me ordered and were in the process of making it. This was a similar issue I encountered at the now closed Melanie’s in East Flatbush.
I finally asked one of the people to take my payment since my items were ready. They staff was friendly and courteous. Overall, a good place with good food, but the food planning needs a little work.

Had the lunch special for 6 or 7 bucks… comes with rice, a side, and a chicken choice. had the yellow rice with spinach and curry chicken… bf had the brown rice with potatoes and curry chicken… deifnitely delish though not over the top fresh/​amaze, they have so many options so i cant see how they could be… but it was hearty and a good sized portion, made me feel good inside! no free water. order at a counter and sit down. good music!

My friend (Tranidian) took me here for lunch. I was very excited when I walked in. Very spacious and new. I picked 3 veggies, okura, yam, cabbage. Those looked freshly made but the taste needed more work. It just had a one layer of flavor and wasn’t enough to enjoy them. I chose oxtail for meat and it was a melty-​fatty-​goodness. Most lacked some flavors and adding salt helped but not enough to really like them.
I think juice and smoothy might be the best choice. They make them fresh.

The juices are good but they never put any ice in them. They would be a whole star better with ice. All of the food I’ve had here is good too.

I really enjoy the food! The food always taste yummy! The spinach rice is my favorite. My only concern with Melanie’s, is that they have POOR customer service and are SUPER SLOW!
The girl serving my food was yawning and rolling her eyes while taking my order. Another time I went in there, I was barely acknowledged and had to ask two different people to help me.

mad good, cheap food, humongous portions. get everything, it’s all wonderful.
I hope more white people start eating here because us gentrifiers are gonna ruin the neighborhood and all the delicious, local, cultural food will disappear.
EAT SOME F*CKING CURRIED GOAT, bitches!

I was new to West Indian food (with the exception of the West Indie parade, in which I just pointed, paid, and enjoyed, no idea what I actually ate), but luckily I was with a Crown-​Heights veteran friend who pointed the way toward deliciousness. The 4 of us shared:
4 doubles (fried dough + chickpeas = SO SO GOOD! and $ 1.25?! If these were available anywhere near where I worked I would eat one for lunch everyday)
Some kind of chicken — slightly spicy, fall-​off-​the-​bone tender, delicious!
Curried potatoes– spicy, yummy.
Spinach– very flavorful, how do they do it?
Chickpeas– same stuff that filled the doubles, yum yum!
Mashed pumpkin: not-​too-​sweet but very good.
Fried Plantains: delicious, duh.
+ a few drinks, the grand total? $ 26.
The place was clean and included plenty of seating. There were some really good looking pastries and baked goods, but I was so full by the end that I couldn’t even think about taking another bite. All of the food is displayed at the service area behind a sneeze gaurd, so you can just point to what looks good.
Seriously though: Don’t miss the Double!

Tried the stuff I had taken to go yesterday.
The cassava pone was like cardboard. It’s great that they have a large variety of products, but would be better if they spent more time cooking a few things well. Instead, they have a lot of mediocre food.
The corn soup also needed pepper. The dumplings were little balls of dough about the size of corn kernels. These are NOT Caribbean dumplings. They are cooking some American fusion type of Caribbean food. Brooklynites, many of whom are Caribbean know the real thing. Maybe that is why their huge dining room only had about 6 people in there.

The flavored coffee (that’s right… instant French Vanilla «cappuccino») is the only consistent thing in this place. And it works best as a hand warmer, rather than a substitute for real java.
The food here is hit or miss, but generally better than any of the other establishments right off the A/​C train. I’d skip the baked goods if I were you — just because something is cheap, does not not mean it’s good. Safe bet: juice bar. Also safe bet: slow service.