THAT PLACE is still there?

THE FORGOTTEN, OVERLOOKED AND TAKEN-FOR-GRANTED BUSINESSES THAT WE WOULD MISS TERRIBLY IF THEY DISAPPEARED

Story by Brittany Nunn // Photos by Kim Leeson

The latest development here, rumors of a new restaurant there, and closures every other week — such is the typical fodder for business-news talk. But what about those oft-forgotten institutions — the ones that do not beckon with novelty or glamour but, rather, persist quietly, like a patient grandparent, waiting for us to visit? When we do, we are reminded why they endure: because they are genuine, loyal, sturdy and loved. They are a constant in a perpetually changing environment. Periodically, pay a visit to our neighborhood’s oldies. It will make you feel warm and a tad nostalgic. (Oh, and you should probably visit your grandparents, too.)

Melios Brothers Char Bar

Where: 2026 Greenville at Prospect • Type of food: American • Price: $3-$8 (cash only)

MELIOS BROTHERS CHAR BAR is one of those Lowest Greenville establishments that neighbors have become so accustomed to seeing that we almost forget it’s there. Almost. Who could forget the candy-blue building across from Trader Joe’s that vaguely resembles a retro ski lodge from the Swiss Alps? It’s hard to miss and even looks a little out of place among all the new restaurants, bars and retail options that have arrived on Lowest Greenville within the last year or two.

But Gus Melios, one of four Melios brothers who own and operate the restaurant, isn’t concerned about all the competition flocking to the avenue these days.

“I cook the best breakfast in Dallas,” he insists.

The inside of the restaurant has a throwback mom-and-pop diner feel. It’s the kind of place where you can expect to eat a hearty plate of bacon, eggs and pancakes that stick to your bones until dinner. They don’t make places like Char Bar anymore.

The Melios brothers opened Char Bar in the 1970s when they were just young men fresh from Greece. The story goes, according to Gus, that the brothers began traveling the globe while working on cargo ships as teenagers. After doing that for several years, they soon scattered across the United States — Gus and Alex in New York, Tom in Houston and Mike in Philadelphia.

Mike and Tom moved to Dallas and began working at Seven Seas Fish House next to the Lakewood Theater. When the location where Char Bar sits today became available, Alex and Gus also moved to Dallas, and together the four of them snatched it up and opened Char Bar.

The brothers set down roots in Lakewood, sending their children through the Woodrow feeder schools and on to various colleges around the country.

The restaurant has had its ups and downs over the decades, Gus admits, but the brothers have managed to survive the evolution of the avenue. The aesthetic aspects of the restaurant haven’t changed a bit over the years, and the brothers still don’t accept credit cards.

These days the diner opens for breakfast 6-11:30 a.m. and closes after dinner around 9 or 9:30 p.m. Char Bar o ers a di erent special every day, although it’s best known for its breakfast.

Oh, and Char Bar also is known for the friendly conversations you’re bound to fall into with one of the four Melios brothers.