I waiver back and forth on the Gladstone. The first time I was here we went for lunch with friends at the Café - to be totally honest the experience was mediocre. The food was ok but nothing to write home about, as was the service. There was nothing wrong, it just wasn't as interesting as I had expected given the reviews.
The second time we went to the Melody Bar, we actually came to hear the live music as we were thinking of hiring the band for an event we were hosting. The bar was great, the place was just the right amount of busy - not too busy that you felt like a sardine but busy enough to have a good vibe. The band was fantastic (Parkside Drive) they had a great stage presence and really worked the room. We had drinks and a snack. We ordered the poutine. When it arrives I was surprised that instead of french fries it was perogies. I obviously didn't read the menu closely before ordering, it was a delish surprise. The cocktails were also quite good the caesar was nice and spicy just the way I like it. The server was attentive and kept checking back to make sure we had everything we needed.
The only down side was the pair of rather large pillars that obstructed the 'stage' area. But other then that a great place. So verdict - I would return to the Melody Bar, not so sure about the Café.