Meli European Taverna — Restaurant in Easton

This was without any doubt the worst restaurant I've been to in at least 10 years. Arrived on time but no table was ready for 5 minutes even though I counted at least 5 empty tables. After being seated it was over 10 minutes before we had a waitress at the table, another 10 minutes before water was brought to the table and an additional 15 minutes before drinks arrived which were ordered when we first saw the waitress. Sitting there that long with nothing in front of me I had plenty of time to observe what was going on in the restaurant. There appeared to be no front end management at all and waiters and waitresses had tables that were spread out all over the place as well as outside on the patio rather than having a zone to work in to keep things efficient. The bar tender also appeared to be giving all his attention to the people sitting at the bar and ignoring the waiter's orders. The $15 martini's were made fine but tiny and served in a 4 oz. Coupe Cocktail Glass that is supposed to be for champagne. Things got worse from there. I ordered spicy tuna from the raw-bar menu and it was neither raw nor tuna but rather some kind of whitefish that was breaded and deep fried with a very un-spicy topping. I expressed my disliking to our waitress who apparently passed it along to the kitchen. My wife had the "Horiatiki – Village Salad" which was ok but unbelievably small for a $12 tomato and cucumber salad. My entre was the Royal Dorado which was slightly over done if I am being completely honest which came with a side of lemon potatoes that were ruined by the fact that they were swimming in 1/2 inch of olive oil. My wife had the braised lamb shank that was bland, tough and served over a pile of noodles with no detectable sauce. She managed about half of the lamb before giving up saying it was un-edible. I left out the best for last. After hearing that I was not happy with the "tuna" and before our entrees came out, the chef shows up at our table and offers something else. I said I didn't want something else but he wouldn't leave it at that and instead insisted on arguing with me about the tuna for at least 5 minutes. Perhaps if he stayed in the kitchen instead of waltzing around the dining room things would have had a better chance of being edible. All this goodness for only $165 plus tip which to be fair included 2 glasses of wine which were a standard pour and were probably the best part of the experience. And yes I did still tip the waitress 20%. She was trying her best in an impossible situation and it's not her fault she works for an idiot. I can only hope for her sake she realizes this and has moved on to someplace...

I really hate writing this because I wanted to love this place, but I was seriously underwhelmed by the experience. Normally, if I had the experience I received at Meli, I would just chalk it off as an average night out and leave it at that. But when I am spending over $250 on dinner for two, I demand perfection. My rating stands as follows:

Start out at 5 stars.

We were a few minutes early to our reservation so we grabbed drinks at the bar. These drinks were quite good so we were off to a good start. After waiting at the bar for about ten minutes or so, we were shown to our table.

We started with the spanakopita, which I thought was great. Unfortunately, it was the highlight of the meal.

Minus one star: I ordered the wagyu souvlaki at medium rare. What I received was a skewer of meat with no uniformity on the cook and every piece lying somewhere between medium and well done. The potatoes were cold and lacked any discernable flavor other than potato.

Minus one star: My girlfriend's lamb, ordered medium rare as well, was somehow even less uniformly cooked than my beef. Part of it was so rare that it looked like it hadn't touched a warm plate much less a flame. Other pieces were well done. She did very much enjoy the veggies though and said that the lamb had good flavor.

Minus one star: There were a lot of tables around us having various celebrations and each one received their desert with a sparkler on it. When we ordered our desert it came out plain. Now, if it was for me, I wouldn't care, but I could see a slight look of disappointment on my girlfriend's face and that sucked. I had even made sure to list on the reservation that we were celebrating her birthday and it was missed. Again, not an issue at most places, but when you are selling yourself as a high-end establishment, attention to these details is very important.

Anyways, I'm sure that I'll try this place again in the future as my previous visits had been better, but it won't be for a little while as this visit just left a bit of a sour taste...

Where do I even start with this incredible restaurant and dining experience? First we were greeted by the hostess and promptly sat. The ambience is absolutely gorgeous. The restaurant is light and airy, but still perfect for a date night.

We then had the most outstanding dining experience, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. From the moment we sat down and got comfortable, our evening was made exceptional by our fantastic server, Kylee. She was attentive, knowledgeable, and went above and beyond to ensure we had a memorable meal. She suggested cocktails to us that were made by the talented Katie at the bar. They were literally perfect, prepared with elegance and craft and delicious without being overwhelmingly alcoholic. Katie is truly a master of her craft. Kylee & Katie were a dynamic duo pairing our meals with our cocktails.

Our culinary adventure began with the calamari, which was cooked to perfection—crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and bursting with flavor. This was just the beginning of a series of delightful dishes.

One of the highlights of the evening was the chef himself coming around to check on our food and discuss how it was prepared. It was a personal touch that made us feel truly valued as guests.

As a special treat, we were served complimentary Brussels sprouts that were simply incredible. They were caramelized beautifully, with a perfect balance of sweetness and a hint of tanginess.

The star of the night was undoubtedly the ribeye cap. Cooked to a flawless medium-rare, it was the best steak I have ever had. Each bite was succulent and packed with rich, savory flavor. The steak was paired with the most delicious sweet potatoes and zucchini, which complemented the dish perfectly and elevated the entire meal.

Overall, Meli Restaurant exceeded all expectations. With exceptional service from Kylee, a talented chef who genuinely cares about his guests, and a menu filled with delectable dishes, it was a dining experience I won’t soon forget. I look forward to...