Very good burger. The slaw, chili, mustard and onion combo for toppers strikes a very good balance. Tight on seating, although as a quick takeout option this place is great. Great prices. Nice small town atmosphere. Almost diner-like in the assembly line efficiency of the kitchen. Best 'burger joint' I've seen in a while.
Review Source:My boyfriend's parents live in E-town and every time we visit, he raves about Melvins' burgers, but we never get a chance to try them because we always visit on a holiday. Over Memorial weekend, though, I finally got my chance. I waited in the car thinking it would only take about 10 minutes, but 40 minutes later, a sackful of burgers comes back. There was a line out the door that day. Small burger, yet excellent. The coleslaw is that crunch factor that you look for and the burger itself has that great griddled taste. Worth the wait? I'd say so. With there not being a lot of variety in the area, Melvins' is a great option.
Review Source:We left New Bern for RDU and drove out of our way again just to eat at Cain's in White Oak. Â While we were driving I was remembering a place called Melvin's in E-town and the debates 30 years ago between the devotees of Cain's and Melvin's regarding who made the best burger. Â Cain's was closer to where we lived then and to where I worked so somehow I never made the additional 10 miles to try Melvin's. Â In hind sight that seems kind of strange. Â So Ms T was looking at the map and said, we would be going one mile from E-town to get to White Oak so we decided we would settle the debate.
We loved Melvin's. Â It was just what I remembered from Cain's. Â You stand in line at lunch time and they quickly assemble the burgers to order. Â They are hot and melt in your mouth tender with a wonderful grill crust on both sides, coming from expertise and perfect temperature of the flattop. Â Ms T and I ordered "all-the-way" - no onions. Â Onion head Aunt Annie had the stinky things on hers. Â We inhaled these burgers. Â They are worth a drive. Â My only wish is that they salted the patty a bit (more). Â I like it grilled into the crust.
This style, with chili sauce, slaw and yellow mustard on a soft white bun appeals to me. Â It seems unique to this corner of NC. Â If we had not been going on to Cain's I probably would have stuffed myself with two more.
We learned that there is a Melvin's in the Raleigh Durham area. Â I read a few reviews and based on what I read, there may be a question as to whether something was lost in translation to the big city. Â We will have to try that one and see. Â As it is, I won't be talked out of liking the original in Elizabethtown, assuming they remain consistent.
In a few miles at Cain's we were to discover that sometimes you can't go home again.
I have some of my best of friends that grew up in Elizabethtown, NC which told me that this place has the best hamburgers anywhere, hands down. I have come down with them to visit their hometown on many occasions, and they are not exaggerating, Melvins has the best hamburgers I know of around these parts.
You will find it on one of the "main strips" there in E'town, and it looks much like any other local eatery in this size town. But believe me, you will want to get there early enough to get a seat, especially on weekends, because this place gets a line for their hamburgers and hot dogs...yes, it's that good. Â A local legend and regional favorite. Â Even though there may be a wait in line it won't be long. They have it down like an assembly line, and it takes no time hardly to complete orders.
I usually like my hamburgers and hot dogs pretty low maintenance, ketchup, mustard, mayo sort of thing. But if you are getting a hamburger here, I recommend you get what seems to be their speciality, one with cole slaw and chili. You won't regret it, I haven't each time, amazing good.
Whether you are lucky enough to get a seat or get yours for take out, you will enjoy your hamburger/hot dog experience here. It's definitely a highlight of my visits down in E'town.
Darn good burgers and hot dogs... but so far out of the way... and yet... worth a trip every once in a while.
I haven't been to Melvin's, aka The Pool Hall, in quite a while, but that doesn't mean just thinking about their burgers and hot dogs doesn't make my mouth water! Mustard, slaw, chili, and onions. You don't need anything else.
The place is uber popular, but even if there's a line, the trip's a breeze. The line moves really fast. The only challenge is getting a table.
Delish!
They serve burgers all the way with chili and coleslaw which you'd know is glorious on a burger if you've ever tried such a thing. Anyway, this  should easily be 5 stars as this is a NC burger institution, but alas, I'm slapping 3 stars on it because of the 12 year old brat that took our order. She f'ed up the entire order and then sassed me up with some gibberish when I told her it was all wrong.
I have a hard time understanding how you screw up an order when you're a business that only serves a single hamburger with your choice of condiments. That I can forgive actually, but why this girl decided she need to slop on the attitude is beyond me.
I'd probably be less sensitive to the whole experience if I didn't just spend nine hours driving to this place for lunch and half a decade blowing this place up to my wife as the mecca of the carolina style burger.
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