Melt bar and grill open

Anecdotally, of the ~30 people I saw at two locations in California, I saw 2 people with animal style fries.

And again, if their fries are so bad that to be enjoyable requires ordering them to be prepared in an off-menu style, covered in processed "cheese" and salad dressing, they're doing it wrong.

CoasterKid20:

^I think that's why it's called In-N-Out. Not because you're supposed to be In-N-Out fast, but because you need to know the In's and the Out's to make sure it all tastes great!

I thought it was named that due to the establishments effect on "digestive" issues.

I've lived in Southern CA since late 1974,(although this status is going to change at the end of this month) and I can count on my fingers the number of times I've eaten at an In n Out. Never understood the fascination of the "native" population with it. Of course until fairly recently they were only in the greater Los Angeles area. Their fries IMHO were borderline disgusting, limp, greasy things.

My one encounter with In-n-Out was not great either, in no small part because I don't eat red meat. And the fries were gross.

I’ve never really had a bad experience at In n Out. My first time going, I was told to get my burger and fries animal style and I’ve enjoyed it since. I’ll take In N Out over the ridiculously priced for no reason Five Guys any day.

And in all honesty, what fast food joint doesn’t use processed “cheese” on their food? ;)

Fair, but there is a difference between processed "American cheese" and whatever the hell that cheese sauce is. I'm not saying I don't enjoy that stuff from time to time - nachos with "cheese" is my Kryptonite, but I expect the nachos to at least be edible without the cheese.

I don’t think you fully understand any of what you just said.

First, the suggestion that In-n-out is bland is ridiculous; like or dislike the flavor all you want, but to suggest that it lacks it is demonstrably false.

Second, wut?

Just saw a news story on cleveland.com reporting that Melt has closed it's Avon location. I just checked the CP dining options and it still lists Melt. Being in the restaurant business must be super challenging, wish them well.

About 60% of restaurants fail in first year and 80% fail in first 5 years.

It's been hard for places like this to find help. It's killing a ton of businesses.

They closed their Canton location that was close to us this time last year. We always enjoyed it and it was a fun place to take the kids, but I can't say we ever saw it busy. At that time the company said it wanted to downsize the number of restaurants and work on improving the ones that are left.

My favorite sandwich was called the "Lake Erie Monster"; an amazing amount of perch and just wonderful to eat. In fact they tout it as a pretty big item to get when you visit.

You know what sandwich you can't get at Melt Cedar Point? Which is kinda-sorta close to Lake Erie?

Yep.

Maybe this location closing finally makes my dream of eating it at CP a possibility.

Maybe.

I had a fish sammich at CP Melt and it was just awful.
It wasn’t perch though.
Our original Short North location closed and that leaves Easton as our only Melt.

Not to pray on someone else’s downfall but Melt can not be gone out of the park quick enough imo. Never had a single pleasant experience at any of their restaurants and the one time I decided to try it at CP it was especially heinous.

”New in 2025: Melt will be removed to make room for the Grand Pavilion 2! Since half of you guests can’t find the giant one we built last year.”

Maybe people don't want to pay $16 for a grilled cheese? I think the most expensive one was over $20, which even though might be big, is a bit steep for any sandwich.

The few times I have been to some of the Melts in northern Ohio were nice, food and atmosphere were good, but not a place I would frequent all of the time if I lived near one. Sounds like maybe they expanded too much too fast?

If it were a "normal" portion size I would agree, but in my few visits to Melt I've been easily able to split a sandwich entrée with someone else and have a pretty good amount of food for the two of us. So at $10/person it's not that bad IMO.

Kevinj:

My favorite sandwich was called the "Lake Erie Monster"; an amazing amount of perch and just wonderful to eat.

As a long time lover of perch I was curious what this sandwich was and why it would be at a grilled cheese restaurant.

If you want to bury your fresh fried perch under a pile of cheese, cole slaw, and texas toast feel free. I prefer to enjoy my perch as perch. And interestingly, according to their website, it is a cod sandwich, not perch.

LAKE ERIE MONSTER
crispy panko crusted jumbo cod fillets, creamy slaw, american, jalapeño tartar sauce

Maybe with your connection to Jesus Christ, he is able to turn your cod sandwich into perch?

Man I used to salivate over Melt, it took me a while to figure out how long its been since I've been to one and that was 2017 with a group of friends. I have a similar feeling towards Barrio, and I think its pre Covid since I last went to one. I don't know if the growth of those individual places into chains made the food less special to me, but I have lost the desire to go back to either of those places. I don't want to harp on the negatives as to why, but the experiences I've last had just doesn't make me want to go back.

Heck I was excited for CP to open their location and the only times I've visited the place is to get a hot chocolate at Winter Chill Out. I just don't feel the food I was getting was worth the $$ I was paying for it.

What's wild is the Barrio location at Progressive Field is the only location I know of that serves the nachos and I'll get them every time I'm at a game, which admittedly has been a long while since I've been there.

Bummer, I really hope ownership can figure it out.

At our Canton location it was indeed perch, but that ship has sailed.

Perhaps Cedar Point will come out with some tasty Perch Tenders.

Dvo:

but in my few visits to Melt I've been easily able to split a sandwich entrée with someone else and have a pretty good amount of food for the two of us.

And yes, the portion sizes were, for us, very large. Wife and I would always just share a sandwich and an app and be done eating for the rest of the day.