We frequently are asked the above question, and while the simple answer is, "Our Chef's grandfather," it really doesn't serve as a complete explanation. Mel was a regular guy who enjoyed the simpler things in life. He was a firm believer that nothing can substitute a handshake when making a deal, a hug when a person is in need, and the sound of a group of friends laughing at the recollection of a past experience. Today's digital world sees contracts being signed electronically, compassion being showed with an emoji, and levels of hilarity being expressed by texting multiple H's and A's. It is an increasingly impersonal world that we live in, and Mel wouldn't have liked it. However, what technology has not replaced, and never will be able to, is the experience of heading down to your favorite watering hole with your friends, grabbing a table or bellying up to the bar, clinking glasses, and whiling away the hours while you imbibe. It is this shared experience, this age old tradition that is at the heart of Mel's. We at Mel's believe that life is personal, and we aimed to build a restaurant that supported that belief. Our standard was simple; build a restaurant that Mel would have been happy to go to by himself. A place that when he felt like getting out of the house, the destination would never be in question. To us that is the sign of a truly great neighborhood spot, and we are confident that Mel would have been a regular. Whether you are a group of friends going out for a celebratory brunch fueled by Bloody Mary's and Mimosas, a grandparent treating their grandkid to an afternoon milkshake, or you are sitting at the bar for a great burger and craft beer while you watch the game, Mel's is there. The fact of the matter is Mel is every man or woman who appreciates the simpler moments in life, and it is those individuals for whom we built this restaurant.