"Mena’s Palace feels like every diner you see in any movie, play, or show. Waiters spin about to quickly grab tickets, raise trays out of the way, all while the house phone rings constantly in the background. Most guests at Mena’s are regulars who work in the area, and the servers seem to remember them all by name and their orders too. Shout out to Ms. Carol who works at a hotel nearby and always gets the roast beef po’boy to split with her boss. Ms. Carol knows what’s up—Mena’s still makes their roast beef in-house, slices it as thick as a hardback book cover, and covers it in a thick, garlicky gravy. We love the immaculately thin veal parm and the house salad with an herbaceous Italian dressing that you can order by the bottle. You might see a line outside, but we’ve had luck by just walking in and seeing if there are any seats at the bar." - Megan Braden-Perry
