Meli Estiatorio

Reviews

• MA

  Marina Andreyeva

  Nov 13, 2025
  1.0
  Very rude waitress and unprofessional management all around. Had a horrible experience with my family and are very disappointed. Do not recommend this place. Also oysters and clams not fresh.
• YF

  Yasser FAIQ

  Nov 11, 2025
  1.0
  We came here to celebrate our uncle’s 60th birthday. He flew in from Korea and doesn’t speak much English. Before arriving, we confirmed with the restaurant that he could bring a bottle of sake to share as part of his cultural tradition, and they said it was fine. Once he opened it, the waitress abruptly told him there would be a $35 corkage fee. We were a party of ten, including one child and one infant, and had already planned to order multiple bottles of wine and food (over $200 worth of oysters and clams alone). After learning about the fee, we politely told our uncle to put his bottle away and decided to order all drinks from the restaurant instead. Despite that, the waitress remained cold, dismissive, and visibly irritated. When we explained that our uncle’s English is very limited and that it was a simple misunderstanding, she showed no empathy or professionalism, though she later said okay we don’t have to do that in a rather fake smiley way. Then the owner approached, not to listen or de-escalate, but to say he was offended that we refused to pay the corkage fee. Rather than demonstrating leadership or hospitality, he took an argumentative tone and told us, “You’re welcome to leave.” At that point, we decided to pay for what we had ordered and left, leaving nearly 70% of our oysters and clams untouched because of how uncomfortable and unwelcome we felt. They still attempted to charge us the corkage fee and gratuity until we requested them to be removed, which is shameful really! This was supposed to be a warm family celebration, yet it turned into a humiliating and disappointing experience. The lack of empathy, cultural awareness, and basic hospitality from both the waitress and the owner was shocking. Guests deserve to be treated with respect and understanding, not hostility, especially when celebrating a special occasion with family. REPLY TO OWNER’S RESPONSE: Thank you for taking the time to reply. However, your version of events is inaccurate and misrepresents what truly happened. First, my uncle was certainly not drinking from a plastic bottle. The bottle in question was a 1.5L magnum of sake, which is unmistakably glass, not plastic, and was brought only after we had confirmed in advance that doing so would be acceptable. He arrived before the rest of the family, and due to his limited English, it’s clear there was a communication gap that could have easily been handled with patience and empathy. Second, it’s true that we stated we were not willing to pay the corkage fee after being spoken to in a dismissive and condescending tone. It wasn’t about the fee itself, but rather how the situation was handled, as if we were being scolded instead of being treated as valued guests celebrating a milestone. You chose to side immediately with the lady server without asking for our perspective, showing no attempt at leadership or hospitality. A true host would have sought to understand both sides before making assumptions. To address your “genuine curiosity” about how I lead, I lead with empathy, warmth, and generosity, values that are fundamental to the hospitality industry. Leadership isn’t about ego or asserting who’s right; it’s about creating an environment where guests feel welcome and respected. You mention maintaining a “high level of respect” toward your guests, but our experience reflected the opposite. We left your restaurant after feeling unwelcome and disrespected, leaving behind 70% of our food uneaten. That speaks for itself. Ironically, we did find another restaurant nearby that not only welcomed our family and cultural traditions but also offered exceptional service, food, and genuine hospitality, qualities that your establishment would benefit from observing. We highly recommend you check them out - Haven Grill & Sushi - Dushanbe. We sincerely hope that, rather than engaging in defensive rebuttals, you take this as constructive feedback and focus on continuous improvement in empathy, guest relations, and cultural awareness.
• MJ

  Melissa Jacques

  Nov 8, 2025
  5.0
  My husband and I absolutely loved our meal at Meli. We went to Greece for our honeymoon and the meals we had at Meli tasted like we were back in Greece!
• CJ

  Cesar Jimenez

  Nov 2, 2025
  5.0
  Ran into this place randomly and I don’t regret it at all. I think it’s one of my top Greek restaurants at the moment. The atmosphere and customer service is awesome. They treat you very well with respect. The place is extremely clean with nice music as well.
• BB

  Brian and Jennifer Badler

  Oct 28, 2025
  5.0
  We love Meli! Phenomenal restaurant! Beautiful ambience, great wine list and fantastic food! We’ve been here for date nights and for large parties, service is always fantastic!

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