Meli's Pancake House — Restaurant in Moline

I've been to Meli's twice and had different experiences. Both times I went I was a table of two. The first time I went with a good friend and it was on a Monday holiday, probably busier than a normal Monday but slower than a packed weekend. I had good service and food. Zero complaints. I liked it so much I wanted to bring my fiance in to try it.

Take two: I was here on a busy Sunday and had a very different experience. We were sat right away and we got our drinks (2 waters and 1 coffee with cream) but then didn't see our server until we got our food which took about 45 minutes. I sat with an empty coffee for at least 15-20 minutes. I ended up sharing my water with my fiance because he ran out of water. When a refill on coffee came around (not from our server) they poured the very last of the pot into the cup and it was burnt coffee. The eggs were missing from my meal, I brought this to my servers attention who informed me they would be out shortly. Not a huge deal but I like to mix my eggs into my food and then eat so the already lukewarm food got colder while I waited. The person who brought the eggs out slammed them on the table saying is there something wrong like it was an inconvenience that I questioned where the eggs were. I had just said No? I was just waiting on my eggs after she slammed the eggs down and I didn't get my entire sentence out before she walked away. When the server brought out the food without the eggs I waited until she asked if there was anything else she could get before I asked where the eggs were, it's not like I didn't give her a chance to set down all the plates before questioning where they were. I specifically waited thinking it was just coming a little after but when she asked if everything looked good of course I'm going to ask about the eggs. Maybe she didn't mean to slam the eggs down but she acted like it was an inconvenience she had to bring them out. Just left a bad impression after already waiting so long for the food and having to sit with an empty cup of coffee. I probably could have forgiven a long wait if the service would have been better. I get anxious and I'm probably overthinking the entire thing but it stuck with me enough that I'm actually writing a review. Even the table next to us was commenting on how long they were waiting to get their food. I was going to ask for a box but it took too long for someone to come back to the table I gave up and stacked the plates hoping to at least get someone's attention to get the check. After waiting 45 minutes for the food and then having it be just okay and then being treated poorly felt like a waste of money and made me wish I made food at home.

Maybe it was just a bad day but it will be a long time before I want eat here again which is disappointing because I did have a good experience...

Meli's is among the cohort of businesses in the Quad Cities (and likely, the rest of the world too) that have the words "Pancake House" in their business name. After several forays at other pancake houses on the Iowa side of the river, I felt ready to venture across the I-74 bridge to Moline for a quiet Sunday breakfast with Meli's.

I've visited this area of Moline many times before - I'm a big fan of the Bierstube, Lemongrass, Bent River, and Lagomarcinos. All are established Quad Cities institutions, unique in their own right. I honestly don't remember what was in the space before Meli's occupied it. I guess I never made it down 5th avenue this far. There is also a Los Portales right across the street nearby - I like their other location and will have to get back here to try this one soon.

Anyhow, one of the charming things about this part of Moline is the overall age of the place. The buildings are all mostly a patchwork of old brick and mortar, colored in patterns that illustrate a mix of an industrial past and ever changing efforts to change and revitalize the area. Meli's adds its own mark to this living history. There's a fenced off patio area with tables and chairs within, their sign prominently displayed against the whole painted surface. The building facade further adds to this character - more old brick visible throughout with their logo prominently place upon the windows and a large sign jutting from above the ground floor.

The interior is warm, perfectly appropriate and fitting for a breakfast restaurant. A mix of ceramic tile and polished wood floor of dark grain cover the space, while the ceiling is a painted black solid surface with unadorned HVAC ductwork and accent lights throughout. Wall decorations range from wood paneling with hanging photos or paintings at one end of the dining space to a large mural of a city skyline on the other. Further images of Meli's mascot (not sure what else to call her) punctuate and feature prominently the spaces in between. It's bright, eclectic, and welcoming - in short, I like it.

The place was fairly busy at the time I arrived and since I was dining alone, I opted to sit at the counter. After a quick review of the menu, I opted for their Mexican Skillet with sliced potatoes, sourdough toast, and scrambled eggs. It was a bit of a wait for my food - close to 45 minutes. This was fine, of course, as the restaurant was very busy. When it arrived, I thoroughly enjoyed my skillet. The eggs were light and buttery, the potatoes a combination of crispy and not crispy, and the whole thing was well spiced to taste like what I imagine a Mexican skillet would taste like.

I really like this place. It's a great addition to this part of Moline, and I'd come back here again for another breakfast, alone or with a group....

Such a cute little restaurant! Went here on a whim whilst traveling and I'm glad I did! There was so much charm inside and I couldn't resist looking around.

I had no wait, which was a plus, and was given a seat near a window that had a gorgeous view of the street outside. Many people walked by with their dogs and I saw a few squirrels.

The food was delicious. I ordered Meli's special #1, which came with 2 pancakes, eggs, and a side of protein. I also got a half order of biscuits and gravy, and an order of hash browns.

The pancakes were thick and dense in equal amounts. I wish I knew how they made them so I could have more at home! The eggs were good quality and definitely weren't the powder eggs. I got 2 sausage links and they were good too.

The biscuits and gravy were priced well in my opinion. The biscuit was dense and had a hard time picking up the gravy. But hey, that's what spoons are for! The hash browns were exactly what you'd expect. They did have an option for loaded hash browns, kind of wish I tried those.

I got so much food and for a really good price. The staff were very polite and gave off that small town vibe.

If I ever find myself in the area again, I will definitely...