Decent 50's type diner
Went in to get a quick bite and its pretty big on the inside. Good service, decent food but you are paying for the atmosphere. If in the area and looking to get in and out, check this place out.
Every time we come to San Francisco for Continuing Education at Moscone Center we stop here for breakfast. They seat you quickly and get your food to you efficiently. The food is mostly American comfort food, but that is just perfect for a hearty breakfast before a day's long bunch of classes.
Besides the cost of food inside of Moscone Center is just crazy.
TIP - Mel's is on the bottom floor of a parking structure, so if you are driving in for classes, it is just ideal. Budget some time for a good breakfast before your class.
TIP #2 - save room for their Fountain deserts!
This was my first time dine in this wonderful restaurant with my family and we enjoyed the food, the atmosphere, the service and also the staff were friendly and welcoming, we enjoyed our food and drinks and recommend this restaurant
I love diners and I love Mel's! The fried chicken is absolutely amazing. Portions are generous. Prices are reasonable. Service is outstanding. What more could you ask for??? You'll want to visit a few times to make sure you are able order different dishes from the menu. You'll want to try everything!
I love this place! Tried their vanilla milkshake and meatloaf. Big portion with reasonable price. I love their retro interior. Great service, definitely!
Gustatory. I have driven by Mel's for decades and never dined there until July 2014 with four under nine grandchildren. They were hungry so out came pancakes and spaghetti. I, not so hungry settled for a grilled cheese sandwich with Mel's American fries. Mel's is somewhat like Rubys and reeks of pleasant nostalgia. I am glad I got in before the building make way for large redevelopment plans.
Good comfort food. Great service, fast..
Decent Food. My wife and I had dinner here while on vacation earlier this month. We both had turkey which was good and as advertised it came with lumpy mashed potatoes. Those were nice and fresh but prefer no lumps. I should note what they called stuffing was disgusting. The service is below average but the place was clean. It's a neat place that should be experienced once because of the nostalgia.
I only had breakfast but it was fast, hot and plenty of food. In fact, I couldn't eat it all and I LOVE breakfast. It's more expensive than other eateries but c'mon, it's right across the street from my hotel and it IS cheaper than hotel fare.
Sit Down Prices for Drive-in Ambiance. Had breakfast. Good food, but have to echo other reviewers that it is a bit pricey. Service was good.
Pricey. Expensive for this type of food ... $30 for 2 should get better food.
Good food but $$$. I go to Mel's almost every time I'm in the area during travel from OC. I like the 'diner energy'. Juke box on almost every table. Prices at Dennys are less and actually the food is better but Mel's has more selection. Catch the specials or be ready to pay $15 for pancakes, eggs bacon and a coffee. Ouch!
Nice to visit a classic like Mel’s. Even though this is a “Next Generation” Mel’s (the last original location was demolished in 1976) it still retains all the charm and character as the originals. The staff are clearly used to bustling traffic as the food comes out fast and hot. Great for groups or solo dining at the counter. Food is good. And yes, the chicken soup is as good as they say.
Another amazing authentic American Diner experience!! The service was friendly and efficient with a very warm welcome. The atmosphere was vibrant and fun. We picked a table with a jukebox and our server happily changed some dollar bills to quarters for us. This made for good fun while awaiting our food. We both opted for the classic burger, I had blue cheese and himself had pepper Jack - both were absolutely delicious and cooked to order which is one of my favourite things about burgers outside of Europe. Himself tells me his malt was the best he has ever had!! We had great fun and great food and would suggest it’s definitely worth a visit for lunch or dinner.
A well known diner at San Fran. The surrounding area is very run down and packed with the homeless and needles on the street. Just becareful when getting there.
Anyways the food is amazing staff were really nice and the service top notch. The sizes and portions are massive and the taste solid. Weekends tend to be busy but the weekdays are good.
You can't go wrong with diners but I gotta say their traditional milkshake(vanilla malt) not a whee bit different from when I first tried it as a teenager in college to now, an adult in her mid-30s 👍🏻👍🏻 and of course they serve you the rest in the mixing tin with almost a whole other glass worth of milkshake!
We ordered the Tuna Salad sandwich to share and we were stuffed. They definitely didn't stinge on any of the filling. The coleslaw side was delicious, not sour not it's sweet, dressed very balanced.
Found this place using Google maps while in the bay area. I've always liked 50s style diners.
The atmosphere was very 50s. Traditional styling for the Era.
The service wasn't too bad either. They were quite busy and still stayed on top of things.
The food wasn't Supreme, I mean I can't even remember what I had. But I know it wasn't bad.
I do know that this Mel's is cheaper than the one across town.
Overall, I do recommend this place for sure. I think we will be going again when we are in the area.
11/2023: Highly recommend this quaint little place that certainly tries to emulate old fashioned diner. Service was fast and very friendly, prices aren’t wholly unreasonably for downtown San Fran, and the food was good. The Mel’s Quesadilla was surprisingly small but tasty - definitely recommend a side to go with it.
The food was really good here. Just what I would expect from an all American diner. The portions were plentiful and priced appropriately. The help was nice and the food came out quick. Come here for the experience, naw, come here for the food!
A decent diner in San Francisco! Very big place in a very busy road and nice atmosphere inside!! Staff was friendly! The food was good! Totally value for money I would say!
What a great place. Found this gem on our 2nd day in SF and went back each day for breakast or dinner til we went home 5 days later. Food is great, staff friendly and service quick. Great authentic 50s feel to it too. The apple pie was delicious as was the hash brown breakfast 😋
Restaurant with oldie style.
Good place to have breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Our food was very good, we love it.
Our waitress was very sweet and kind, the service was quick.
We highly recommend it.
Great throwback diner near the W hotel downtown San Francisco. Service was outstanding and cordial. Ham and cheese omlet was decent, along with the bottomless cup of decaf coffee. Side of french toast stole the show. Just wish they had real maple syrup. Great atmosphere and worth the walk from the hotel.
Hands down this place is the BEST food in town. Definitely worth the shot if you're in the area and I promise you won't be disappointed. Staffs are really friendly and the food is just amazing. In my 3 days of stay I had visited this 3 times (twice for breakfast and once for dinner) and no matter what you order they know how to cook it right.
Must try the Nutella French toast. They make it so good that it will make you drool 🤤 100% recommend this place to anyone visiting.
Very nice place, very good service, plenty of tables and the food is really good and the prices are reasonable. The milk shakes are really good. My kid loved the car where they served the kid's meal.
Very kind and efficient customer service. I had the ribs grilled cheese sandwich, not that great but the fries and drinks were tasty.
This diner dates back to the late 1940s. I'm sure it's been revamped many times but it still retains the original vibe and looks great.
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