We wanted a semi-casual place with interesting food; we were quite happy. The decor was new (w Chihully replicas on the walls). The waitress was by herself but very attentive and knew the menu. But the tornado had hit 2 days Clark Cnty before and the place became crowded with contractors about 7:30p. The poor staff was overwhelmed (we didn't mind, we were grateful to have power back). Still our food was impressive. Recommend the Naan bread and green tomatoes sliders. I had the sesame seared tuna salad and was shocked by how large the tuna steak was. I expected a couple pieces of sashima-sushi type tuna, but this was a whole sliced tuna steak. The spinach ravioli with garlic butter shrimp was LARGE and full of flavor. Next time we go to Mela, we will try the steaks and burgers.
Karl Hagan
Food and service were both great. A hidden gem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: House Salad, Bacon & Cheddar Burger, Prime Beef & Brie Sliders
Ron Smith
Ehhh not very good at all.
Bill Kelley
Food was terrible never will go back to that place to eat ?
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
dandj
We like Mela, our waitress was very nice and friendly and attentive. I wish that they had a dress code of sorts , I don't think people should have to wear a suit and evening gowns but I would prefer to not see people in a nice restaurant with t-shirts and cut off jeans. Would like to see a couple of pasta dishes on the menu.
VL Benton
Vegetarian options: The goddess salad was delicious & leafy greens were so fresh. The vegetables were cooked to perfection.Parking: We went on Easter Sunday for the family style buffet. It was excellent! The food was hot & delicious. The servers were patient & courteous. We reserved our time slot and there was no waiting. The staff was very prepared. We definitely will be return customers.Kid-friendliness: It is kid friendly. They were very patient and understanding with our 3 year old.
The food was great but the service was very slow and they were struggling to get food and drink orders out and people seated. There was a major event in town and the restaurant was probably busier than they had been in quite some time. We will go back and try it again on a night when there isn't expected to be so many people in town.
vivace21
It started out poorly when the host couldn't find our reservation. The staff seemed confused and overwhelmed. I showed my email and they got us seated. There were only two waiters for a busy night? I understand staffing is hard right now, but why are you promoting your restaurant with special ads on social media before a concert when you have no staff? So we wait, and wait...and wait. Other people had messed up table reservations and just got up and left. I would have been okay with the wait if the food had been good...but sadly the food was terrible. My salmon was not fresh and overcooked, my husband's burger was obviously frozen, again not fresh and not tasty. My mom's steak was the best of the meals but a fatty cut of meat for the price. Even dessert wasn't very good. I won't be back...ever.
Restaurant was great, but the reservation seemed to be not communicated between Open Table and the restaurant. Both myself, and the customers after me had the same problem. I was able to get a table (it was a busy night due a special event in Springfield) but that could have been a disaster.
Terri Gilliam
First time very nice comfortable great food, lovely staff. Will be coming back ?
We came to eat here before a concert. It was busy, but we did have a reservation. Seemed they only had one server on. It was homecoming so it was busy. Our server was completely inattentive and didn't even write the order down correctly. Also we had to ask for silverware and refills. She overflowed a cup of water all over the table. The food was subpar at best and none of it made correctly. As a server I can generally understand being overwhelmed, but to mess up an entire tables order is a bit much. Even if we had wanted to complain we couldn't as there was no manager presence whatsoever. I definitely will not come back.
Kajones0129
I was honestly hesitant to have dinner in this hotel bar/restaurant, particularly as there were no recent reviews on Trip Advisor. I'm glad I took a chance on it. The atmosphere was friendly and busy, and for both nights of my stay Terri was an excellent bartender and server - she is excellent. I've traveled all over the world, and I've had a lot of fish and chips...this was possibly the best or one of the best I've had. Piping hot, deliciously crispy, and tender fish inside. The fries were equally good, and dusted with parmesan and garlic. The wine pours were generous and reasonable. I went back the second night and had an order of the tomato bruschetta to go...fresh and flavorful. Take a chance on Mela - you won't be disappointed.
Twila Blake
Really nice room, nice bedding , comfortable beds, hot shower, great view, nice towels, very nice front desk employees. Contacted front desk Sunday morning about late check out ( we traveled from WV and my son is participating in triathlon at Buck Creek) and front desk person was very accommodating and nice.
Erica Banion
This is our go-to place! It is how we’ve set our “bar” for other restaurants. Usually, nothing compares to the food, drink, service, or atmosphere of Mela! Forever our favorite place!
Greg H.
I have been staying at the Courtyard by Marriott this week while I am working in Springfield, OH this week. Mela Urban Bistro is their restaurant and since I don't like to go out after a long day, Mela Urban Bistro is your typical hotel restaurant. It is decorated in a moderate style and is comfortable. They have a bar with a decent selection of alcohol. My first night here, I wasn't that hungry so I ordered a side salad and the chicken satay skewers.The salad was your basic iceberg lettuce, diced tomato, shredded cheese, and ranch dressing. Not bad but not blow your socks off. The skewers on the other hand were a huge disappointment. The chicken was cooked well but they were were supposed to be bourbon brown sugar glazed. They weren't glazed. I found out later that the chicken is marinated in a bourbon brown sugar concoction and not actually glazed. I mentioned this fact to the staff who is going to forward my thoughts on to the chef. I was actually going to rate Mela Urban Bistro lower just based on the salad and chicken satay but dinner tonight saved them from 2 stars. Tonight is my last night in the area and I felt like a burger. The only choices around seemed to be the same old boring choices I have close to home so I thought I'd give Mela another chance. Tonight, I order a bacon cheddar burger with potato wedges. I also order a local brew from Mother Stewart's Brewery here in Springfield. It's a grapefruit IPA aptly named Disco Dancer. More on the beer in a bit. I ordered my burger medium and it cam out medium so no frozen, precooked patties here. The cheddar cheese was nicely melted over the burger patty and they threw four slices of bacon on top. Lettuce and tomato were on the side. The b urger was cooked well and the potato wedges were pretty good. Overall, a nice save from the previous night. The IPA was excellent! It wasn't too heavy. It was light, crisp, and smooth. I would have a Disco Dancer IPA again. After I was finished with me meal, I decided on a Hendricks and tonic. I a gin connoisseur and Hendricks is one of my mainstream favorites. The best part about mu gin & tonic was the price! At $7.00, I could throw back quite a few! Overall, tonight's dinner redeemed my opinion of Mela Urban Bistro. It isn't the best around but is a decent place for a meal if you are staying at the Courtyard. The staff is very friendly and make you feel welcome. I will stop in again the next time I in the area.
We wanted a semi-casual place with interesting food; we were quite happy. The decor was new (w Chihully replicas on the walls). The waitress was by herself but very attentive and knew the menu. But the tornado had hit 2 days Clark Cnty before and the place became crowded with contractors about 7:30p. The poor staff was overwhelmed (we didn't mind, we were grateful to have power back). Still our food was impressive. Recommend the Naan bread and green tomatoes sliders. I had the sesame seared tuna salad and was shocked by how large the tuna steak was. I expected a couple pieces of sashima-sushi type tuna, but this was a whole sliced tuna steak. The spinach ravioli with garlic butter shrimp was LARGE and full of flavor. Next time we go to Mela, we will try the steaks and burgers.
Food and service were both great. A hidden gem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: House Salad, Bacon & Cheddar Burger, Prime Beef & Brie Sliders
Ehhh not very good at all.
Food was terrible never will go back to that place to eat ?
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
We like Mela, our waitress was very nice and friendly and attentive. I wish that they had a dress code of sorts , I don't think people should have to wear a suit and evening gowns but I would prefer to not see people in a nice restaurant with t-shirts and cut off jeans. Would like to see a couple of pasta dishes on the menu.
Vegetarian options: The goddess salad was delicious & leafy greens were so fresh. The vegetables were cooked to perfection.Parking: We went on Easter Sunday for the family style buffet. It was excellent! The food was hot & delicious. The servers were patient & courteous. We reserved our time slot and there was no waiting. The staff was very prepared. We definitely will be return customers.Kid-friendliness: It is kid friendly. They were very patient and understanding with our 3 year old.
The food was great but the service was very slow and they were struggling to get food and drink orders out and people seated. There was a major event in town and the restaurant was probably busier than they had been in quite some time. We will go back and try it again on a night when there isn't expected to be so many people in town.
It started out poorly when the host couldn't find our reservation. The staff seemed confused and overwhelmed. I showed my email and they got us seated. There were only two waiters for a busy night? I understand staffing is hard right now, but why are you promoting your restaurant with special ads on social media before a concert when you have no staff? So we wait, and wait...and wait. Other people had messed up table reservations and just got up and left. I would have been okay with the wait if the food had been good...but sadly the food was terrible. My salmon was not fresh and overcooked, my husband's burger was obviously frozen, again not fresh and not tasty. My mom's steak was the best of the meals but a fatty cut of meat for the price. Even dessert wasn't very good. I won't be back...ever.
Restaurant was great, but the reservation seemed to be not communicated between Open Table and the restaurant. Both myself, and the customers after me had the same problem. I was able to get a table (it was a busy night due a special event in Springfield) but that could have been a disaster.
First time very nice comfortable great food, lovely staff. Will be coming back ?
Restaurantji Recommends
We came to eat here before a concert. It was busy, but we did have a reservation. Seemed they only had one server on. It was homecoming so it was busy. Our server was completely inattentive and didn't even write the order down correctly. Also we had to ask for silverware and refills. She overflowed a cup of water all over the table. The food was subpar at best and none of it made correctly. As a server I can generally understand being overwhelmed, but to mess up an entire tables order is a bit much. Even if we had wanted to complain we couldn't as there was no manager presence whatsoever. I definitely will not come back.
I was honestly hesitant to have dinner in this hotel bar/restaurant, particularly as there were no recent reviews on Trip Advisor. I'm glad I took a chance on it. The atmosphere was friendly and busy, and for both nights of my stay Terri was an excellent bartender and server - she is excellent. I've traveled all over the world, and I've had a lot of fish and chips...this was possibly the best or one of the best I've had. Piping hot, deliciously crispy, and tender fish inside. The fries were equally good, and dusted with parmesan and garlic. The wine pours were generous and reasonable. I went back the second night and had an order of the tomato bruschetta to go...fresh and flavorful. Take a chance on Mela - you won't be disappointed.
Really nice room, nice bedding , comfortable beds, hot shower, great view, nice towels, very nice front desk employees. Contacted front desk Sunday morning about late check out ( we traveled from WV and my son is participating in triathlon at Buck Creek) and front desk person was very accommodating and nice.
This is our go-to place! It is how we’ve set our “bar” for other restaurants. Usually, nothing compares to the food, drink, service, or atmosphere of Mela! Forever our favorite place!
I have been staying at the Courtyard by Marriott this week while I am working in Springfield, OH this week. Mela Urban Bistro is their restaurant and since I don't like to go out after a long day, Mela Urban Bistro is your typical hotel restaurant. It is decorated in a moderate style and is comfortable. They have a bar with a decent selection of alcohol. My first night here, I wasn't that hungry so I ordered a side salad and the chicken satay skewers.The salad was your basic iceberg lettuce, diced tomato, shredded cheese, and ranch dressing. Not bad but not blow your socks off. The skewers on the other hand were a huge disappointment. The chicken was cooked well but they were were supposed to be bourbon brown sugar glazed. They weren't glazed. I found out later that the chicken is marinated in a bourbon brown sugar concoction and not actually glazed. I mentioned this fact to the staff who is going to forward my thoughts on to the chef. I was actually going to rate Mela Urban Bistro lower just based on the salad and chicken satay but dinner tonight saved them from 2 stars. Tonight is my last night in the area and I felt like a burger. The only choices around seemed to be the same old boring choices I have close to home so I thought I'd give Mela another chance. Tonight, I order a bacon cheddar burger with potato wedges. I also order a local brew from Mother Stewart's Brewery here in Springfield. It's a grapefruit IPA aptly named Disco Dancer. More on the beer in a bit. I ordered my burger medium and it cam out medium so no frozen, precooked patties here. The cheddar cheese was nicely melted over the burger patty and they threw four slices of bacon on top. Lettuce and tomato were on the side. The b urger was cooked well and the potato wedges were pretty good. Overall, a nice save from the previous night. The IPA was excellent! It wasn't too heavy. It was light, crisp, and smooth. I would have a Disco Dancer IPA again. After I was finished with me meal, I decided on a Hendricks and tonic. I a gin connoisseur and Hendricks is one of my mainstream favorites. The best part about mu gin & tonic was the price! At $7.00, I could throw back quite a few! Overall, tonight's dinner redeemed my opinion of Mela Urban Bistro. It isn't the best around but is a decent place for a meal if you are staying at the Courtyard. The staff is very friendly and make you feel welcome. I will stop in again the next time I in the area.