Mel's Hot Dogs
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1st time visitor, made it a point to do so once we heard this long time institution would soon be undergoing a change of hands. Between myself and my wife, we got a Fire Dog, Chili Dog, cheeseburger, fries and onion rings. The fire dog is a spicy number, kicked with cayenne in the beef sausage and small but mighty sport peppers, kissed with sweetness from grilled onions and red peppers. My ONLY complaint was chewy, slightly toothsome bread without much flavor. The answer to that, my wife ordered the fire dog itself on the regular hot dog bun, it was DELISH. The chili is really good, reminds me of my home state of NC a little❤️, rich in flavor but not overpowering. The hot dog itself was meaty and perfectly salty but would benefit from a hard sear or fry to really bring out that skin snap. That cheeseburger... y'all, NEVER getting a cheeseburger from anywhere else! That flamed grilled flavor is front and center, the patty was juicy and was set off with a colorful mix of condiments, that cartoon green relish💚, ketchup, mustard, mayo and chopped onions and pickles with THEE most perfectly toasted bun, a slept on kaiser roll was king in the time of brioche saturation. Lastly, the fries and onion rings were on point, contrasting between salted crisp/fluffy potato goodness and crunchy, sweet onion joy! It was clear walking in that the neighborhood loves this place and I pray it continues to serve the same high quality, delicious food, can't wait to go back! Mel, you really did something great here, thank you for it the right way, it shows! Enjoy your retirement!
Tori HayesTori Hayes
00
UPDATE: Increased to 5 stars from previous. As expected, I returned and tried a sandwich. The Angus burger was delicious, and the fries are (still) phenomenal! Original: I am not a hot dog person, but I do like trying well-established places that are not big chains. I came here with my husband and a friend, both of whom love hot dogs. Do not take my preference discourage a visit because I am picky when it comes to hot dogs. The few times I do eat hot dogs, they are all beef or otherwise kosher. In that regard, Mel's was good. The relish is such a vibrant green, like lime jello or grass, but it is good. My friend had the slaw dog and Mel's special and said they were both really good but the special was better. My husband enjoyed his chili dog. The fries were also great! I love fries, so I was happy eating them. I'm sure we will be back at some point in the future, and I can try one of the other sandwiches. TL,DR: Would I recommend? Yes, even if you don't like hot dogs (they have other menu items). Would I return? Yes.
Victoria ScholzVictoria Scholz
30
The end of a legend. It was good while it lasted. I had been going to Mel's since the 70's when it opened. Today I went and had the most horrible experience and will never be going back. I ordered my usual snack dog, small fries and a soda. The snack dog has a strong, smoky taste and a leathery texture. The fry portion was small, was greasy and had several small broken bits that were oil soaked. I took one bite of the hot dog and it grossed me out. I asked if the hot dogs had been changed and not really given an answer. I was so grossed out from one bite I couldn't eat any more and requested a refund of the hot dog and fry. By the time I got home I threw up what I had eaten, it was that gross. I googled and realized Mel's was sold to HD Holding Company, LLC as of September 7, 2023. I just found a Creative Loafing article from yesterday discussing this. It hasn't even been a month but I knew when biting into that snack dog it was not the same one I had been purchasing for decades. I don't even think it had the same day-glo relish that had been famous. After decades of good memories and good food, the quality has degraded in less than 1 month of the sale. This is truly sad. RIP. My last memory from Mel's: a receipt for $2.50 for a fountain drink along with a refund for $7.42 (after asking for a copy to be printed). Maybe stretching that print cartridge too for as long as possible. I Update to the owner response: using the same vendor does not mean that the same products were purchased from that vendor. I have been eating snack dogs over 40 years, and it was wrinkled, chewy, and had a smoky taste so there is no way I am going to believe that is the same product. Owner did not address the fact that the fries were greasy with numerous broken small oily pieces and half the amount. That is not consistent with my experience of almost 50 years. Saying that the staff has not changed has nothing to do with the poor quality of food I received. Too bad I didn’t take a picture to post on here. I’m curious to know if it was the same product what happened to make it wrinkled and have a smoky taste? And why was it OK to serve broken, oily fries, half the usual amount?
Spud Boy FanSpud Boy Fan
00
I was born and raised in Tampa, I even spent most of my adult life in the area. I’ve always known Mel’s was in my nearby, however, it still took me four decades to step foot in the door. On 12/24/23, I finally did it. Walking through the front door confirmed my suspicions, Mel’s was a well preserved nostalgic blast from the 70’s past; I smiled from ear to ear as the folks behind the counter welcomed me in. The menu was rather larger, but after a few minutes, I landed on the Chicago style dog with fries and a Coke. WOW! The dog was unbelievably good. The seeded bun was soft, warm and fresh and the frank had that snap when you bite into it. The fries were also fresh and perfectly golden brown and salted. I finished the Chicago dog in the blink of an eye; I had to try something else on the menu. So, I ordered the Mel’s Special which was also very enjoyable. I’ll continue to beat myself up for not visiting Mel’s sooner in life, oh how I’ve missed out. I look forward to visiting again soon to explore more of the menu!
Maurice CooleyMaurice Cooley
20
It's difficult to describe how good this is. I had a slaw dog plus chili, a hand-dipped corn dog, fries (thick steak fries), and a Christmas tree sugar cookie. Boyfriend had a chili dog with real cheddar, an italian beef, fries, and a cookie. All beyond good. Italian beef was a tad spicy. Perfect crunch on the dogs. Slaw and chili are out of this world. Ask for a drink from behind the counter instead of the fountains in the dining room. They have legit shaved ice in the back. Mel and his daughter (who, full disclosure - I used to work with, but only for a brief time) were working the counter when we came in. Mel told a silly joke over the intercom, and I appreciated the fun of it. I had meant to go to Mel's for two years and finally had the chance today. We really like Portillos, which relatively recently opened around the corner, but I will probably never go back after this. I will forever crave this meal.
Margaret GrigsbyMargaret Grigsby
10
I was here yesterday with my son and nephew, it’s walk up order and seat yourself joint, very clean inside friendly staff and the food is absolutely delicious!! My Chicago style dog was chi licious lol and the fries were good too. Now my son and nephew ordered the fried chicken sandwich and WOW it was so crispy and delicious!!! Even the kids were like Omgahh!! Lol Oh and I’m an ice lover they have GOOD crushed ice but it’s not in the lobby you have to ask them for the good ice at the counter. But IYKYK lol sorry no pic of the chicken sandwich but if you read my reviews you know I know where the good ish is and I won’t lie to you about my opinion my palate is A 1!!!!! Not too pricey great for large groups and families. The only negative was the seat I chose was under a vent and it was dripping a little bit. I just scooted over lol no biggie!! Great job guys keep up the good work!!
Jennifer HoffmannJennifer Hoffmann
40
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Learn more insights from Wanderboat AIBasic Info
Address
4136 E Busch Blvd, Tampa, FL 33617
Map
Phone
(813) 985-8000
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Website
melshotdogs.com
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Reviews
Overview
4.6
(1.4K reviews)
Ratings & Description
Description
Modest quick-serve find draws all kinds with hot dog decor & wide variety of all-beef wieners.
attractions: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Adventure Island, Cheetah Hunt, Tampa Furniture Outlet, Montu, Cobra's Curse, Serengeti Safari, Madent Al-Taybat Roastery, Sultan Market, Econo Lodge, restaurants: Zeko's Mediterranean Grill, Serengeti Overlook Pub, Petra Restaurant, Kreyol Delight, Table 22, Abu Naji Restaurant, China Latina, Zagora Cafe, Caribbean Crown, Greenland Restaurant
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