Mel's Drive-In

They messed up my order a little (missed one of two breakfast burritos so I was sat watching my partner eat for a while), but the food was good and it seemed to be just a genuine mishap so hey ho. Friendly service and a cool decorative environment. The espresso milkshake was also great.

Service was great but I expected the quality of food for $42 dining alone to be better! In my opinion, the quality and portions of food did not match the price. Not a big fan of the seating arrangement as I sat in an awkward single table on the side out of view of the soccer game playing.

Mel’s drive in is a diner in the modern day with the vibes and atmosphere of another era. From the menu to the interior to seating, it gives old American diner vibes. The food was overall okay and fast service. Food I ordered the fish and chips and it was good. Good amount of breading for the fish and had a good side of cole slaw. Nothing special about the fries but gotta have it with the fish. Atmosphere The American diner atmosphere is the best part of this restaurant. They have the neon lights and jukebox all around. There is the counter seating in front of the kitchen and there’s a mix of booth and table seating. The noise level can be loud at times. Pricing Pricing is average for the food. Service Service was good and staff was nice. The food came out quickly after we ordered. Other

The food is your typical dinner food. Enjoyed the sandwiches and the burgers here. The oil they fry in could use a change a bit more as it imparts a bit of a burnt flavor to the sweet potato fries. The shakes are on point and really the reason I went here. Over all would visit again for the shakes.

Delicious food but dang the price was wayyy too much. 75$ for a milkshake and a grilled cheese sandwich with an appetizer. ridiculous. if it didn't cost so much I would come back because the food was good but dang!

Visited Mel’s Drive-In late at night, close to closing time, and had a wonderful experience. Despite only ordering curly fries, the server kindly allowed us to dine in at the bar counter, which was greatly appreciated. The curly fries were delicious, and the atmosphere was fantastic with its old-fashioned decor, truly reminiscent of the 50s. Overall, a great experience!

Fantastic authentic diner experience, I do enjoy getting a burger and fries and a malt shake every so often. Unfortunately the meat in the patty melt dried out a bit, but the fries and shake redeemed the meal. Went on a Tuesday night and got to sit wherever I wanted and service was kind and fast.

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.

This place is a rollercoaster ride of emotions. First the wait staff are so lethargic you think they have no interest in working. You wait for them to take your order and wonder why it's taking eons to get your food. And finally the chowder came. Utter deliciousness. The tenderness of the clams as well as the scrumptiousness of the order was out of this world. Thoroughly satisfied.

Food is always good but the prices are ridiculous. I didn't order a drink and spent my whole meal waiting for the water to ask me if I wanted water. Never happened. When I asked for a side of coleslaw he brought potato salad. Then when I'm flaberghasted that I'm being charged $5.75 for a side of coleslaw the cashier says, "I don't know what to say." $5.75 for a side of fucking coleslaw. Mel's your food is not that good.

FALSE ADVERTISING on their menu. I ordered: An Elvis Scramble Menu Description: "MOLINARI CHORIZO, GREEN CHILI PEPPERS, AND MONTERAY JACK CHEESE, SCRAMBLED WITH THREE LARGE FREE RANGE FARM FRESH EGGS" What I received: a scramble consisting of 2 SMALL eggs at MOST, along with 1/3 of the plate hash browns, which is not even listed as part of the order on the menu. I make eggs at home all the time. I know what 3 eggs looks like. This restaurant shorted me and charged $20 for it. Never again. Don't be scammed by this place. You've been warned.

Really cool, classic diner feel. It was fun to look at the pictures on the walls of celebrities that previously passed through. The service was attentive. There's a security guard on site since this is downtown. And there was an issue he has to tend to with another diner. He ended up moving that diner to a more secluded section of the restaurant. The food was good but nothing to write home about.

i'm visiting from out of state and came here for breakfast with some colleagues. the vibe of the interior of the restaurant very much spoke to its charming history. i ordered the short stack of pancakes which were pretty good, and the hangover helper juice which was a great way to kickstart my morning. i'm really excited to have gotten to visit such an iconic spot in sf!

I had taken an early flight in from the East Coast and needed dinner but closer to lunchtime on the West Coast. I sat down and had the house smash Burger, which was served rapidly and with hot fresh fries. it was very good. The server was a little overwhelmed with a lot of people coming in at the same time but he did a great job. Love the diner of the restaurant. Will definitely come back.

Simple. Fast. Never crowded. Good when the conventions are in town and everything is super crowded to have a low key place. Diner food with a jukebox and oldies playing.

This diner has been here forever and for a reason. It has stood the test of time and continues to serve awesome diner food. From simple stuff like their unsweetened ice tea and salads to their signature burgers and other dishes. The food is fresh and tasty. Not your typical diner, as they are notches above. The smash burger was one of the best I had, and onion rings fantastic. The servers are also quick, polite, and nice. I eat here every time I am in San Francisco and it never ever disappoints.

There closing time is BS. They close 30 minutes early on the weekend when you need them the most. Find elsewhere on the weekend. They need to update their business hours to prevent people from going there unexpectedly.

Very solidly 3/5 food, but more expensive because it's SF. I got the Route 66 burger which was very meh and came with standard fries. The cappuccino was ok. Others in my party said the breakfast burrito was bad and the Smash burger was not too bad. The Lana Del Rey shake was awesome though, very chocolatey, big generous Oreo cookie chunks, almost but not quite too sweet. The milkshake portions are huge--you get the standard sundae/milkshake glass serving, plus they gave "extra" milkshake in stainless steel drink mixing cups. Props to the servers and cooks that were turning out food like an efficient factory, they were working super hard! Cute 50s diner ambience, definitely a good place for groups. This Mel's location is very big and has ample seating. Overall pretty standard diner fare, not bad, not good, but convenient and shorter wait times than other restaurants in the area, especially if you have a larger group.

Other Than Hàŕd Řòćƙ Ćäfê & Johnny Rockets This one of my favorite place So far I Have been to 2 Mel's Diner Location The other one was in Hollywood's Universal Studios Food Joint!!!!! The One thing that I like most about Mel's Diner is the decorative inside with A Juke Box it feels like I'm in a time warp back in 1950s with 1950s Rock & Roll Music Like Elvis Presley,The Champs, Richie Valens, Even though I wasn't from the 1950s... What I had to eat at this Mel's Diner Location Was A Avocado Bacon Cheese Burger With Garlic Fries & to go along with my Burger & Fries is having myself a Cherry Coca-Cola!!!!!

We are frequent AMC goers and always pass by this diner and last night decided to stop by before our movie! The ambiance is actually extremely cute inside and it's a lot bigger than we thought! Has that classic diner feel and the service is extremely friendly. The food itself isn't of course fine dining but it is great classic American food. 4 stars only because the prices are actually pretty high! We came thinking it would be cheaper for what it is and where it is, but totally get the standard SF food prices. Fried chicken sandwich was a 10/10 in my opinion & Mel burger was 8/10! Milkshakes are the best - the Vegan one tasted just like a real milkshake.

Mel's drive in is a diner in the modern day with the vibes and atmosphere of another era. From the menu to the interior to seating, it gives old American diner vibes. The food was overall okay and fast service. Food I ordered the fish and chips and it was good. Good amount of breading for the fish and had a good side of cole slaw. Nothing special about the fries but gotta have it with the fish. Atmosphere The American diner atmosphere is the best part of this restaurant. They have the neon lights and jukebox all around. There is the counter seating in front of the kitchen and there's a mix of booth and table seating. The noise level can be loud at times. Pricing Pricing is average for the food. Service Service was good and staff was nice. The food came out quickly after we ordered. Other

Mel's is always a must-have breakfast stop for me when I'm in San Francisco. Classic diner service with fantastic eats. They play into a retro aesthetic that just makes it feel all the more homey.

Was in a pinch for a late night dinner and Mel's was the closest place to my hotel. Definitely one of those, "any port in a storm" deals. The french dip was unexciting. Seemed like the meat was microwaved and the roll was bland, not like the garlic toast the menu said. The curly fries were ample and tasty Star of the show was the butterscotch milkshake Staff was friendly and the old timey diner vibe was interesting. Beyond that, nothing was really good or bad, just average, unexciting food. Probably should call the place Meh-l's

Took my father to Mel's and the service was great. I've been here a couple times now since my friend lives a block away and it never seems to disappoint. I got the Reuben with fries and my father got the sliders. Pricing for the food and drinks screamed "Joe Biden" but the food is as good as it looked. Ended up paying $63 for a Reuben w/ fries, sliders, and an iced tea.

- milk shakes were the thickest and creamiest I've ever had - good old fashion burger with creamy cheese and tasty meat - great decor made it feel like I was in 50's Hollywood - a bit pricier compared to fast food burgers and shakes

The menu offers a classic American diner experience with a few modern twist. The Arnold Schwarzenegger breakfast burrito was warm enough that the cheese didn't melt. The crispy onion rings are thick, and crispy. However, while the food is okay, the prices are higher these are large portions. Felt slightly disappointed with quality. Servers seemed super busy, not a lot of check ins to the table. The theme, nostalgic atmosphere and history seems to make Mel's Diner a classic staple in SF.

I didn't expect much but this place was ridiculously overpriced I spent $71 for a burger, sandwich, and a milkshake. That's absolutely insane. You can get an amazing meal for $35 a person, this was just not worth it. The ambience is chill, a diner vibe, just without the diner prices. Service sucked, our waiter never checked on us, had to ask for water, etc. so the $71 was mostly food and SF's "living tax" on top of normal tax. Pretty disappointed. I liked the onion rings and it was filling so added one star for that. The menu had way too many options I couldn't decide what to wanted and for some reason the grilled cheese rib sandwich was the most moderately priced (still $20+ on the menu). Do not recommend when there's so much tasty, reasonably priced, ethnic food in SF.

Mel's Drive-In is a decent diner. Nothing too crazy here; burger's about what you'd expect, and they embrace the kitsch. It's not standout, but it's a good standby if you're in the area and need some greasy grub.

Everything!!! So yummy great service! Great locations! Fast service.... Price is not to bad!

Me and my husband came here after a late night party and didn't want to go to Denny's across the street, which looked pretty sketchy. We are glad we came here, the food was delicious and just what we needed. Very quick service and fast overall experience. My husband is not a fan of biscuits and gravy, but he took a bite of mine and decided to come back here again the next day just for the biscuits and gravy! Now this is a restaurant that has been here for a while, so it has some great history, but it is definitely pricey for breakfast. The second day we went there, we split the biscuits and gravy and had a coffee and our bill was well over $20. That being said, we would still come back here for sure.

Attended this retro diner for breakfast. I have to say I am still getting use to San Francisco streets and all the security guards at restaurants and stores. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this diner. The retro ambiance creates old school atmosphere. The place was clean and welcoming once you got inside. Service was exceptional and on point. The food was good and fresh but a bit pricey if you ask me. Freshly squeezed orange juice was tasty. My waffle was overly crispy. Furthermore, it is expected for this area to pay 35$ per person for breakfast. Have I had better? Most definitely but when you dont want to travel to eat this place will hit the spot. The menu has a large variety to please many people. Overall, nice place to kick back and enjoy food. Would definitely recommend it.

This restaurant is all over the place with service quality and food quality. Today I'm happy to report things went well. I ordered the triple decker club with double turkey and no mayo and no cheese. It came out exactly as ordered. Turkey was fresh, and bacon was reasonably crispy. I said it the counter, and the service was extremely fast and friendly. The server came back to check on me twice. The price was reasonable. And the location is convenient. The dining room was clean and comfortable.

Very cute ! We came in because we just wanted some dessert and they immediately sat us at a booth. we ordered the warm apple pie with the cinnamon sauce and it was great! The pie was still smoking as the icecream was melting and the mixture of the two was so nostalgically pleasing . It wasn't too loud and the customer service was good . Everything was very well cleaned and I wish I had room for the clam chowder from my dinner but I do want to go back and try more !

Very pleasant service and a huge menu. We ordered food to go and they packed it up nicely so that it remained warm for the walk back to our hotel. Cool 1950's atmosphere.

A solid breakfast sammich with actually amazing hashbrowns. They were crispy on the outside yet gooey on the inside. my compliments to the chef. Good for a quick breakfast after a long night. Pricey as hell plus they slap on a "SF Mandate" fee because they don't want to pay their workers.

Quick breakfast out last morning in San Fran for our conference. I just got grilled potatoes and turkey sausage. It really hit the spot. Friendly service , got our food in a decent amount of time. Good quality. My friends came back for lunch! Always love going to diners.

Ambiance is very diner, in the heart of downtown San Francisco, near the Moscone Center where all the big conferences take place. It can be busy, and loud, but amazingly efficient. The food is also good. Breakfast kinda whenever you want it, and also a variety of other options. I had home fries with two eggs over easy and on top of corned beef hash and all of it, and the great coffee, really hit the spot. Service was good, attentive but not overbearing. I have no complaints and return here for breakfast anytime I'm in this area of San Francisco.

I have not been to a Mel's Drive-In in a long time. But the holidays cause a hitch in my giddyup every year when everything is closed so when I found Mels to be open, you better believe I walked in to order to-go. Because I rarely eat meat these days I had to order the San Francisco dog with relish when I had the opportunity and I rounded out my order with the eggs special. The hot dog was perfect and my egg whites were delicious but the hashbrowns and bacon were just okay. Slightly over-done on the browns and slightly under-done on the bacon, but not too bad on either. The service was friendly and helpful, and I appreciated them being open on Thanksgiving. All in all, I'd say Mel's Drive-In definitely came through in the clutch.

Love the preservation of the classic diner vibes, but the food could really use some work. Although the menu is huge, I'm not sure if there is anything on it that would blow your mind. My friends and I all agreed that the food here would be good drunk eats. Unfortunately, we were sober though, so we did not really enjoy our meatloaf sandwich, chili dog, or grilled cheese. Our server also forgot about the mac and cheese we ordered. Would come back to one of their locations in the city, but only for desperate late night eats.

I wondered why a Groupon was offered as this place was hoppin' but now I know why...the service sucks! Liliana was our server and sweet as pie but she was not attentive to us at all (she was to the other surrounding tables that had 3 or more). I tried to get her attention a few times but she would just pass us by and didn't ask if we needed nor wanted anything else. As for the food, it was mediocre at best and overpriced. Ordered a Denver omelette and hash browns with a side of toast (only 1 slice).

The worse fried chicken I have had so far in the city even I can cook better. First of all, this dish is about $24, which is not cheap at all. The plate has a few pieces of fried chicken, fried, col slaw, and a corn bread. The fired chicken is over cooked and burned to a degree that I could smell the burn. Of course. It tastes horrible. The batter was not crispy, but hard. Inside it's not tender or juicy, but rather I found it dry and hard to swallow. Fries and clod slaw are on the average level. I DO NOT recommend to order their fried chicken.

This place was surprisingly very good! A good American diner I would recommend to my friends. The food came out very quickly! New York Steak was a little tough but the Short Rib Grilled Cheese was amazing!! Be sure to get their potato salad as a side. The restaurant itself is very cute and the servers were very nice. I do think their menu is a little too pricey.

Thursday the Gobble -Gobble of 2023 16H43 And only fifteen minutes before the pre-game stuff commences. Yet after snippets of the Thanksgiving Parade, I think I'll instead begin my Holiday rant--sort of. And yes, I just arrived at Mel's and the headache on BART seems to have increased somewhat, making my hearing extra-acute. So because of all that I decided to start-off with their thick & delicious Tomato Basil soup, bowlfully served, and with a smattering of crunchy croutons. It has always had that Spanish tinge of a Romesco sauce hidden within, as if there's a smattering of cooked red bell pepper previously liquidized within this covert wonder of a soup. Just spice it up a wee bit and lightly splash a small soupçon of Spanish Sherry Vinegar and it'll do justice to any charbroiled steak or burger, even chicken. I guarantee that as well. This year, the special--only one-day-a-year-- turkey plate has taken on a new façade. About the only thing that looks the same is the consisting of zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli flowerettes, and the ever-present half-coins of carrots. I guess my suggestion of onion triangles within this has gone unheeded for another year...oy Moist, tender & juicy those thick, turkey breast slices began to quell that headache, backed-up by Mel's World Famous Smashed Potatoes. This time seasoned with white pepper making for a pleasant, softly noticeable zing. While hiding underneath the dressing commingled with their delicate blonde turkey sauce, it hitched a ride, along with a juicy turkey portion, both somewhat slathered with the gravy whilst being impaled upon the fork's tines. Yum in the aftermath. It had been a while since my last visit here, what with recuperating from surgery, along with the requisite medicinal medications proscribed. And in about two weeks it'll be oral surgery from a specialist oral surgeon doing a very delicate excising excavation near the frontal maxillary portion. It's now just 5:47 pm, and the Niners' game is on. It's helping to distract from the now-burgeoning ambient noise makings of too many mouths, which seemingly overshadow all the dishes' clatterings and clinkings of glasses also. So I'm masticating slowly to distract from that peek-a-boo headaches still-subtle presence. Root Beer also helps. And the Niners just scored a touchdown, making it 14 to 3. And now they intercepted, but nothing. So they punted and low-&-behold we downed it at about less than two yards from their goal! And now...touchdown! (21-3) and I'm still eating...! And I don't know if those 1 to 3 touchdown ongoing noises will inhibit me from ordering dessert--which would be pumpkin pie, as it's been at least one year since I last indulged. So I'm continuing to savor the last of them smashed taters, along with them sweet potatoes, next to the last duo of turkey morsels. And I think I'll port the pie homeward, to consume later on, as I've got a goodly quart of pristine coffee ice cream foe the slice to snuggle-up with. As wonders never cease they fumbled on the kick return...and we recovered it! And I'm still chewing as well...! For the present I'm at a loss, as I used to be able to devour about two turkey plates. Now is it because of the headache? Or the surgery's bygone aftermath? Or is it just because I'm getting older and nobody told me so? Now there's just a sprinkling of cars outside. It's seemingly quiet also, with just another sprinkling of persons waiting for a bus or perhaps a something else. At least we can be thankful that Covid is not so prevalent anymore. Yet we must not forget those who've been stricken with it. It's a personal "thank you" each must reflect upon. Each of us has a destiny we try to daily uncover a morsel. For me? It helps that I can sit here in Mel's and think & write something about all this. And we remember our absent friends & loved ones. HappyThanksgiving... NOTE: My apologies for not posting this sooner. I thought I did, but I was wrong. My almost compulsion-like preference to crawl under a rock during the festive conclusions of each year must've derailed me. Not to mention that sinus surgery and that harrowing crown lengthening dental procedure, both within only five days apart, not that long ago has been somewhat of a wild ride for me. So enjoy what's left of 2023, Happy Holidaze and have a Sweet & Fruitful New Year as well...!

Glutton for punishment, went back to Mel's Drive-In for breakfast. The breakfast was serviceable however the waffles were a bit hard. Can't mess up fried eggs. Overall so-so experience.

First time to Lombard location in San Francisco. It definitely had the memorabilia on the walls with the classic bucket seating, The service was spot on on. Our food came out fast as well. This was good wholesome, classic food. It was tasty and the portions were generous.

Ok idk what's going on with Mel's but, yassssss. The tuna melt was amazing, and Jack-in-the-Box better watch out because the curly fries that they call "twisty fries" are fire. Oh and the strawberry lemonade is the best- actual lemon and strawberry parts included. I've added a pic when my stomach said stop.

Why 3 stars? Hit or miss on prices and taste. Some prices are reasonable some are high. Some food tastes good some tastes really good. We are in San Francisco for the SPIE conference. Stopped at Mel's for dinner. I ordered the 1/3 lb. Famous Mel's Burger with fries, it was good but not really any better than a Hardee's burger and definitely overpriced for 18.50! My wife had the Po-boy fish slider and onion rings. She thought it was very good and the price was good for 7.50. Now...we are talking about a slider, not a full sandwich, but still, a good deal. Onion rings were very good! A regular root beer soda for $4..,,ummm, no! We have returned for breakfast. Breakfast was pretty good. We'd say better than lunch. *Suggestion: warm syrup would be nice. French toast was a very hearty portion. We thought the price for the egg breakfast was high ($18).

"What a disappointment." That's all I came away with after eating at Mel's Drive-In. Walking in, you survey in the faux diner ambiance, and willingly allow yourself to fall under the misconception that you're about to have a manufactured, but hopefully great diner experience. And for those few moments... you savor the anticipation. But you're quickly slapped into reality the moment the server begrudgingly walks up to your table. And you realize, like I did, that your delusion is about to end. The server was apathetic, the coffee mugs were served half-full, and re-filled to half-full, and though I specifically asked for "crispy" bacon, I was served bacon that was technically cooked, but just enough to not trigger any health regulators from swarming the place. And oh... two egg breakfasts came out to FIFTY-FIVE DOLLARS. Yes, really. Don't waste your time, money, or calories here. You'll be glad you didn't.

Solid food but unfortunately, I had three mistakes on my order. Got a short stack instead of waffles. Got my waffle, but over medium eggs got swapped out for scrambled eggs. I ordered a side of English muffin but never received it. English muffin was removed from my bill.

We went there for dinner before a movie at the AMC nearby. The decor was cool. They had the music machine at some tables where you can pay to play a song, which is pretty cool. The service was OK, our order gets messed up. But the food was delicious and the smoothie is a must have!

Food was trash service was worse. Came out with a hundred dollar bill when server screwed us over with how he took our order bc he either was slow or didn't listen. Didn't leave a tip nor do we plan on ever going back. Would give half a star if I could

A beautiful cheddar cheese burger. A state of art, price is unfortunately very expensive. Joe my oldest son, has autism, they were polite about it food was pretty good, Richard was such a nice server. And it has a beautiful view on the water.

The servers were VERY friendly , fast , efficient . The bacon was top tier aswell as the thick pancakes . But the poached eggs weren't very well , and they forgot the coffee that i asked for , Overall if your in a rush and you need food , go here if not there's better.

Hello, I went this Sunday around 3 o'clock and I ordered a Chocolate Penguin Milkshake super delicious, totally recommend it, also I got a Turkey Grilled Sandwich that was incredible and well served. The ambience is very cool, vintage and different. I really liked it. I definitely need to go back with some friends to take some pictures and have a great time. Hola, recomiendo este lugar ampliamente. El ambiente está muy tranquilo, relajado y vintage. Es un lugar reconocido por ser pioneros en la ciudad de San Francisco. Definitivamente tengo que regresar con amigos para tomar unas bunas fotos y tener un momento agradable. Ordené una malteada de chocolate llamada Penguin, con un sándwich de Pavo.

We wanted to get some breakfast and I made sure to see what yelp said. The food was good it was definitely worth the good reviews. The service was quick and friendly. And the ambiance was exactly what I expected from a our school dining.

So, I love a good diner. I wish I could rate this higher because I grew up going to Mel's (both the drive in and the different franchise the Original Mel's). This location has fun decor, although it felt a bit dingy/grimy. The service was ok, not outstanding cause it took way too long to get the check--eventually I just walked up to the counter. I ordered my burger with blue cheese and asked for extra, but I could barely taste it. The chocolate milkshake is sweet(!) and it melted pretty fast. I ordered an iced latte that was barely drinkable...I'm not convinced it was an actual latte, I think they just added milk to iced coffee?? Also we had several unique characters pass by and one man stared at us through the floor to ceiling window for an uncomfortable period of time. If you've been to the area, you know the vibe--that is just to say, maybe request a booth away from the window. Overall, not worth the price (fries with the burger cost extra?! mozarella sticks were $15?! when your moz sticks are more $$ than the amc around the corner maybe you need to rethink things).

I recently visited Mel's Drive-In in SF and tried their burger with fries. While it satisfied my burger craving, nothing stood out as exceptional. The burger tasted decent, but not memorable, and the fries were average. The service was efficient and friendly! The atmosphere had a classic diner vibe but felt somewhat dated. If you want a quick and decent burger, Mel's is worth a visit, but for a more memorable experience, explore other options in SF.