Mel's Country Cafe - Tomball TX

If you are looking for good home cooked country meal; Mel's Country Café in Tomball TX is where you need to go.  However, you almost need to know where to look to find the restaurant.  It is off the beaten path on a quiet country road just to the west of Tomball.  I say quiet the road is fairly busy but only because of Mel's.  We happened on to Mel's shortly after moving to the area 10 years ago.  We would use the road as a cut through and noticed that there were always cars parked in front of the restaurant.  It did not matter what time of the day it seemed to be packed.  We decided to try it and have been going back ever since. 

Mel's itself opened in 1994 but Mel's Mom had a restaurant in the same location from 1979 to 1987 called Mary's Fried Chicken.  Between 1987 and 1994 several other restaurants's tried to make it in that location but none were successful.  It wasn't until Melody & Jeff opened the restaurant that it became somewhat of an icon in Tomball. 

They are know for their hamburgers; especially Mel's Mega Burger.  If you can eat the Mega Mel Burger within 2 hours your name goes on Mel's Mega wall of fame.  The burger contains 1 & ½ pounds of ground beef, 1 pound of bacon, ¼ pound of American cheese.  Note that someone ate it in 9 minutes.  There are several walls with names.  I personally have not seen anyone eat the Mega Meal but I had long time friends who moved here last summer and the first time they went in someone ordered it. 

They actually have all different sizes of hamburgers ranging in price from $2.95 to the Mega Mel Burger at $15.95.  They are also known for their catfish and chicken friend steak.  Friday evening is all you can eat catfish and pop corn shrimp. 

At lunch they have a steam table with 3 different daily lunch specials available. The prices are reasonable.  The steam table is $7.00 and that includes your meat and two sides along with your drink. 

My parents can not come in town without making a trip to Mel's.  They are coming in for Thanksgiving and my Mother has already been making arrangements as when we can go and eat at Mel's.  She especially loves their cabbage.  The owner was nice enough to tell her how they make it.  He actually told her they made it three different times.  She asked the first time she ate there; then went back to Arizona and couldn't remember.  The next time they were here she asked again, the same scenario happened.  The third time she took a piece of paper and wrote it down.

Mel's is not much to look at from the outside or I guess even from the inside but the food is INCREDIBLE.  I took these pictures on a Wednesday at noon and it is always this busy.

To find Mel's take FM 2920 to the east of Tomball.  Go north on FM 2978 and then make a left on Hufsmith.  Take a right on Stanolind Rd.; go over the railroad tracks and you will see it on your right hand side.   You won't be able to miss it; you will see all the cars and truck lined up in front and over to the side.