I really wanted to like Meli given its menu and all the "buzz" I have heard about it, but it was disappointing. We decided to go for a Sunday brunch. We walked in confused as there was no host/hostess stand and not a single staff member welcoming customers, just a rude and cold young woman behind the pastry counter that just stared at us as if we had just walked into her home.

We gave our name to who I believe was the owner and he said he would add us to the list. It took about 20 minutes to be seated outside (they told us 10 minutes), but I understood as it was a beautiful day. At one point, I wasn't sure who to ask how much longer we had to wait. Finally I asked the first gentleman I saw in a suit and said to him very politely "I wasn't sure if there was a host/hostess here." To which he abruptly replied, "I am the host and I've been running around all over the place." No "so sorry for the confusion." He went to check on our table and never came back to let us know.

Service didn't get much better. Our waiter was overextended. Anything we asked for seem to arrive 10 to 15 minutes later, water, drinks, bread (the table next to us got some bread and didn't even ask for it). I don't mind waiting for food, but at least give us some bread to keep us until our meal arrives.

The waiter never even came back to ask if we wanted more to drink or how our food was. The manager went up and down the outdoor tables to ask how everything was but never made it down to ours. I did overhear him apologize to the table next to us for a missing side dish and hair in an entree. The customer was lighthearted about it and said it was "okay, as he could have just flossed with it," but it made me wish I had inspected my food a bit more closely.

The food was okay. My hubby had mussels, and the presentation was lovely. I had the Chesapeake omelet that was supposed to have crab and cheese in it. I finally reached both with less than 1/4 of my omelet left, most of it was just egg. It was nothing special. I was excited to try Meli and thought if my experience was great I'd be back for dinner. Unfortunately, I don't think I will.

I like Meli... The homemade pastries are really good, classic or creative, but always with a good balance in flavors and taste. Some friends recommend the Brunch @ Meli, I didn't try yet! Bad point is that the website is not updated at all... Maybe Kali's Court, Mezze or the new projects are more important for the owner than Meli...

Meli is the hottest spot in Fells Point. If you like honey you've got to try Meli. Chef Rashad Edwards continually outdoes himself. Whether you're just dropping in for drinks and dessert, from which there are many delicious varieties to choose... or having the whole dinner experience, you will be delighted by the eclectic menu. The food is great, the staff is top notch and the decor is one of a kind. This restaurant is the latest gem in the Kali's Restaurant Group crown.

I personally enjoy the selection of Champagnes coupled with the cheese and charcuterie plates. A great way to start or end an evening!

The food was tasty and our server was great, however, it did not live up to our expectations. With its recent ranking of the 10th best restaurant in Baltimore Magazine, I was expecting to be wowed (where is Crystal Koon when you need her).

After waiting 20 minutes past our reservation time, the less-than-friendly hostess took us downstairs to our table. I have to say I was annoyed when I saw our table. I think that when you make reservations, you expect to be in the dining room, not in the lounge. Two people in my party were very tall and sitting on short stools without backs and eating on tiny tables was not very comfortable for them. I should have been told when making a reservation that they only had room in the lounge at that time. We made the best of the the seating situation since the restaurant was packed and we were sure we wouldn't be able to get a different table for six.

Anyway, our waiter was outstanding. He was very attentive and knowledgeable. The food was quite tasty; however, half of the entrees arrived cold. My steak was warm, but onion rings were cold. One of my friends was less than thrilled with her cold bass, but her sides were hot. Not really sure what happened, but there was something amiss with the timing.

I think that maybe we hit them on a bad night - almost all of the other reviews are excellent or better. Maybe I will try them again, but I am not rushing back.

Given the rest of the reviews--including mine--I think Nick's, which you placed first, ought to be moved, lest someone rely on it to his or her detriment. It is SO unfair!
My friend from Washington, a really finicky restaurant-goer, and I had lunch at Meli last week and she raved about the mussels. I had a wonderful concoction of grilled fish on top of a wonderful green salad which included tiny, skinny fried noodles--perfect! We ordered NO drinks, no coffee and no dessert and felt we had had a beautiful BARGAIN lunch.

What a disappointment!!! I was expecting so much. From a pushy waitress to get us to spend a lot (Q: still or sparkling water? A: just tap please!!) to the mediocre food. Starting with an appetizer of scallops that should have been so delicious if not for the sauce that surrounded them to the striped bass dish with cherry tomatoes that was so salty that I drank four glasses of water.

My wife and I stumbled upon Meli in Fells Point when looking for a place to have a nice cup of coffee and dessert. Meli was all we were hoping for and more. Superb, attentive service (provided by Jay), an excellent selection of desserts, including a delicious pair of phyllo blinis filled with a creamy vanilla custard. Meli’s atmosphere was casual yet sleek with a beautiful modern interior. Will go back first chance we get.

Meli is a fun place for apps, drinks and desserts..I also discovered they are now serving breakfast, brunch and lunch. ALWAYS...save room for dessert..their cookies are amazing. Their cool lounge area downstairs is very hip.

Meli is the latest endeavor from the fine folks who've brought us Kali's Court and Mezze (if you've read my review of Kali's you know they've given me high expectations).

"Meli," is Greek for "honey," which Vasilli has used as a theme throughout his new digs. Nearly everything on the menu incorporates the bee-goo in some aspect or another, and even the decor is meant to represent it, with honeycomb shaped fixtures.

Meli's menu is decidedly less expensive than that of the flagship restaurant in the group; with the priciest dish set at only $20, you can impress your date with the expected outstanding service without breaking the bank.

The last time that my wife and I stopped in with our friends, we decided that we had to sample just about everything the menu had to offer. We started out with the charcuterie and plates. Each item on the plates is paired with a condiment, my favorite of which by far was the goat cheese with truffled honey, though Ken, the general manager, stopped by the table and suggested trying the prosciutto with the same honey...WOW! A crazy, yet delicious combination of sweet and salty, with just a hint of earthiness from the truffles.

We decided to skip salads and moved on to a couple of cold appetizers. The tuna tartare, a usually simple dish, was the most complex and delicious I'd ever had, with the white anchovies and balsamic "caviar." The beef carpaccio was good, but nothing really special...though who can argue with near-raw beef, onions and horseradish? Not this guy.

My companions and I decided that we had to have one of each of the hot appetizers...we ended up ordering SECONDS of three of them! The scallops were so perfectly seared, with a little bit of crispiness on the edges...basically a twist on the classic bacon wrapped scallops served all over, the chef serves them with pancetta and a honey viniagrette. I'm a huge fan of duck, and judging from the fact that the first plate of the duck sausage was clean within seconds of touching the table, I think it's safe to say the everyone else (save the vegetarian wifey) was, too. Finally (at least for appetizers), the sweetbreads... A lot of people are afraid of offal, or organ meat, the stuff that gets thrown out (or made into scrapple ;) ), but you haven't lived until you've tried these. They're fried until crisp on the outside and still delicate inside, served with an amazing Sauterne reduction and bacon oil. Yes, BACON OIL. There are two things that make everything in the world taste better, bacon and fat. So bacon oil made me very happy.

By the time the entrees came out, I think we'd finished out sixth bottle of wine (there WERE eight of us), so this part is a bit of a blur as far as what everyone else had. I had the Steak Au Poive, which is just a fancy-pants way of saying steak with cracked pepper, but was amazing with its oxtail pan sauce.

Note to self: a little less wine next time