MELT bar & grilled

Having spent five days last week in Cleveland, Ohio (with my son at the National Stuttering Conference – which I will write about in another post), I looked outside of its city limits for something to do.

In that search, I found MELT bar & grilled restaurant, just one little town away. Not able to sit and eat at the restaurant (time restraints in dealing with MELT’s ever present TWO hour wait for a table for me and the 3 extra people back at the conference that also want to come along), I was able to drive there, place an order for four TO GO sandwiches and wait at the bar for the ONE hour it takes to get a carry out.

MELT has been made MORE famous by being featured in an episode of Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives show on the Food Network and with my and Anna’s upcoming Diners, Drive-ins, Dives and Divas road trip, I could not miss an opportunity to visit this beloved by Guy, jewel of a restaurant.

Sitting at the bar during my wait, I selected something cold to drink…

while quenching my thirst I struck up a conversation with the guy sitting next to me and he kindly obliged my request to photograph his food when it arrived…



it was their very popular Big Popper, a humongous, fresh jalapeno pepper, herb cream cheese, cheddar cheese stuffed sandwich dipped in beer batter and then deep fried, along with to-die-for-fries and homemade sweet slaw.

I fell deeply in love.

After finishing my "beverage" I wandered a little bit and shot these photos...

One of the kitchen crew.

And lighted plastic figures, some which might say "Boo!"

Art glass windows embedded with fun.

Along the walls of the entrance is artwork with people that are important to someone.

From the outside you might just drive right by...

as I did the first night that MELT I tried to find (DEEP HEAVY SIGH).

And if you get the chance to dine outside on the patio...

it will be under the watchful eye of Mr. Hoot Owl..you know!!

I should have eaten my Parma, Italy sandwich at the bar, because carrying it (along with the three other sandwiches) back to the vintage hotel in Cleveland inside its plastic container, although still fabulous and tasty, it was soggy and not so hot.

next time i know what to do or not