Mel's Drive-In - Lombard Reviews

A unique experience. Typical 50s decor and dishes. Landed here after our long bike ride (business is next to the bike rental company which I can warmly recommend). Enjoyed a typical American milkshake and a waffle with ice cream and strawberries. Portions are very generous by European standards.

Meal for 2 consisted of 2 cheeseburgers, 1 soda and 1 shake, 1 apple pie and 1 cherry pie. Every item tasting lovely and it’s easy to see how this restaurant is highly recommended. Service is ok, wasn’t very attentive and had to wait a while on occasion. Location is good off a Main Street and parking is ample. Halloween theme was in full swing and was pretty cool inside with items dressed up. The only gripe is the cost. The whole amount above was $70 which is quite a bit when comparing with other restaurants in the area. There are groupon coupons available (ours was $20) so I would recommend using them otherwise it is expensive for what food you get.

Great atmosphere and the food was good too. The diner was quirky and very representative of a typical 50's diner with the juke box selectors in the booths and the waiters dressed in period uniforms. Service was great, the steak beautifully cooked and not too expensive. A short walk from the park and waterfront it is well worth a visit and you won't be disappointed

Food is mediocre at best. Small portions at bloated Frisco prices. Do your homework and find a place off the beaten path. Anything on the main drags are over priced

Old fashioned diner with lots of retro decor - big colorful box etc, very atmospheric. Big glass windows on a corner location, bright with natural light. Bar in center, booth seats by the windows quite comfortable and good for people watching although more traffic than people on Lombard. Breakfast a bit pricy, nice portions, decent tasting but unremarkable. I had hash browns which were more greasy than crispy as they were only lightly browned on one side with the rest just coated in oil. I love hash browns but not the version here.

Great place to eat on Lombard St. abundant dishes, quality products and excellent attention. A must In San Francisco!

They offer different kind of food, I did the appetizers for be able to experience different food, the place is amazing you can play the music you like and the malts was pretty good, price convenient

Great atmosphere, great service, great value , great menus ! Shame we did not get to have dinner here. We will be back soon.

Good things first. Rick, our server was happy, friendly and a good server. The gentleman that seated us at 2pm on 04/09 was also very welcoming, he looked like a manager, very well dressed. The restaurant was clean and the burgers, fries, potato salad, apple pie with cinnamon sauce and malts were all good but weren't better than most restaurants of this kind. Now the bad. The prices are really high for the food categories. $5 for a half cup of potato salad??? Second, the bathroom was NASTY. It could have been acceptable with a through disinfecting top to bottom or better yet, a remodel. If you have to use it, try not to touch as anything.

We had breakfast in Mel's drive during our 5 days stay in SF. Very tasty, good omelettes, fresh squized orange juice in big glasses, tasty bagels and above all, great service from a nice waitress named Lilliana.Highly Recommended!

Looked a busy place every time we walked past so thought we would check it out. Not good food at all. Even the coffee was bad. I mean c’mon. You’re an American diner. At least get the coffee right..

Great diner for breakfast, good service, good atmosphere and good food. Good location to multiple hotels. Good juice and coffee options

We visited a Monday evening. Four people, 2 adults and 2 kids. Got seated by a manager who nodded in the direction of a table next to the door. No smile. No “welcome”. Received our menus and drinks orders were taken. We wondered why it would take 10 minuted for the waitress to come back to take our food orders, as there were very few other guests. The staff seemed more interested in having internal staff fun at the counter. At this time we had to put back on our coats asbthe temperature in the restaurant was hardly more than 55 degrees. Our food came and the house made chili was good. Not great. The signature house burgers were bland and dull. Beef patty, lettuce, onions and a slice of tomato. That was it. Not even close to worth the money. The fried chicken was good, though. The most annoying thing was the fact that the waitress really looked and behaved as if she would have preferred to be somewhere else. Again, no smiles, no service other than the absolute necessary. Unambitious. The USD 110 we paid for this meal would have been better spent as a donation to a charity of your choice. We certainly could have done without the bland food and poor service.

Always like to eat breakfast at a proper diner when staying in the US. This place did not disappoint having eaten over the road on my first day. Proper American diner experience with friendly staff, good breakfast offering, good food and trendy diner theme. I ate here all 5 mornings as only a short walk from the hotel and it’s open from 6am. The place must be good as it was always busy first thing, and later on when I walked past at the end of the day. Can’t remember all their names but Lillian(?) and the ‘older’ lady were particularly attentive when allowing me to customise my order (no pancakes, bread or home fries). I recommend the Favourite omelette with a side of bacon!

While others sat around watching the Super Bowl... That meant fewer cars on the road way... So time for a little family outing. Started the day out at the Legion Museum with the intentions of heading to the marina. As we drove we decided to stop off at Mel's. Mel's at any location in the city is a good place to eat. This was my first time visiting Mel's on Lombard, and it did not disappoint. Our server was awesome, the food was awesome.. Definitely stopping here again.

Good tasting comfort food in a funky old diner setting. Not cheap but big servings. Portion of veggies included with dinners were fresh tasty and abundant. Jukebox playing made it fun. Good for families.

Did other reviewers go to a different restaurant than the one we did? We saw the restaurant and thought it would be so cool to sit in what appeared to be a diner like we used to see on Happy Days! I ordered "The Famous Melburger" but what I got came nowhere near the description on the menu ... a "classic american favorite made as only we know how". I don't think "classic American favourite" means tasteless, bland and dull but that was what I got. It was awful. You'd think the burger with the restaurant's name in it would be spectacular, but no. My partner ordered the "Sunset Burger" (1/2 lb. topped with melted cheddar cheese and crisp bacon, avocado, lettuce, sliced tomato and red onion on grilled sourdough). What he got was basically a toasted meat pattie sandwich with avocado and something we figured by process of elimination was bacon. The lettuce and tomato weren't IN the burger, they were on the plate UNDERNEATH the burger (or toast). I won't repeat the words he used to describe the food but, needless to say, it wasn't a positive description. We were both so disappointed. I asked my partner if he wanted something else because he clearly didn't want the toastie but we figured the same guy was going to be making whatever else we ordered. I wouldn't recommend going here unless all you wanted was a drink. We didn't have coffee, we had beer ... the beer was nice. And for this we paid $US54.59 (roughly $80.00 Australian - in any currency, too much) . If you enjoy the meal, you don't mind paying a bit but this was the worst food we had in the three weeks we were in the US. We enjoyed the hot dogs at Pier 39 at $5 a pop so much more. The lady that served us was sort of aggressively polite and didn't really try hard to communicate clearly. The only positive was the food didn't take long to arrive.

Wow, $25 for a diner breakfast, welcome to San Francisco! I had a small glass of OJ, a coffee, corned beef hash and two eggs. Btw, it took me 15 minutes to get a coffee refill, even being over staffed at the counter. The best part of the breakfast was the corned beef hash, as it was fresh ground corned beef, with no potatoes, as they serve them on the side. Not a very large portion, but the quality was good. I don't think I will go back on my next visit in town, as there are better options locally that are better and also a bit cheaper.

Traditional diner with great and hearty food from Southern Fried Chicken to a variety ob burgers. Food is tasting great but definitely on the heavy side. Not for people counting calories...

From the outside looked inviting and the reviews online seemed positive, but our experience was underwhelming to say the least. Inattentive service, mediocre and lukewarm food. Trading on its reputation. There are many better and cheaper places to eat.

Traditional USA diner providing classic breakfast options as well as usual lunch and dinner options. We went here while staying in the area and were pleased we did. Great scrambled egg, good bacon, excellent sausages, pancakes & french toast. Coffee refilled and the orange juice was very fresh. If you want an American diner breakfast experience then I would recommend it.

Free parking is not easy to find in the heart of San Francisco when dining—and Mel’s Diner provided both free parking for its customers and a fun and enjoyable dining experience. There is pretty much everything on the menu to suit all diets. There’s standard diner fare such as burgers and sandwiches, pancakes, eggs and omelettes and healthy options such as salads and vegan friendly burgers. I had the avocado toast, which came with three eggs on top of toast with a smearing of guacamole and topped with some chili flakes. On the side were some delicious greens and tomatoes. My colleague had the spring salad with a grilled chicken breast. Our meals were good and the service fantastic. The atmosphere here was wonderful with clean tables, lots of light, a large counter and nostalgia everywhere. Fifties music played in the background and I would definitely recommend this place. Everyone at surrounding booths and the counter seemed to be enjoying their meals as well.

Open early with all the classic breakfast items on offer, this is a cozy place to start the day. My husband raved about their tea and we enjoyed the sausage and bacon as well as the generous one egg, scrambled. Kids are very welcome as they have crayons and a menu to color as well as balloons to hand out.

First breakfast in SF , and exactly what we needed . Old style diner , great staff atmosphere and food

We just had to try a traditional diner style meal one night and this place was close to our motel so we called in. Mel’s had the look and feel of a traditional American diner, complete with appropriate decor, juke box and 50s music. The food and service were fine, pretty much as expected, but nothing’s cheap in SF. It was worth the experience.

Hotel across road so this was perfect for our first bite to eat... We're from UK so had to ask alot of questions. Great typical US food but pretty good prices too.

We stayed near here for a couple of days, we had breakfast twice and while it was nice, it seemed expensive for what it was. We were offered different options on both occasion and the price came out different both times.

Sunday morning and the lines were so long at all the trendy places. We got to sit down right away and have a hearty and very tasty breakfast. I had the Elvis scramble which was very tasty and my daughter a Denver omlette. Despite other reviews, we did not think the portions were huge at all, just about what you should eat. The place was busy, but mostly older crowd, the milennials were across the street waiting in a 2 hour line for the latest trendy thing that poped up in this very trendy neighborhood. The prices were pretty high, nothing really less than $15, but everything is high in this area. Our service was perfect, quick, attentive and efficient.

We stopped at this Mel's as it was close to our hotel and we had just gotten into town. We went for lunch, and there was a good crowd, but no wait for a table, although they do tend to squeeze a lot of tables into their space. The diner is decorated in a 50s style, with a lot of shiny white porcelain and neon. The food was great and the service was terrific. It's a good experience and we'd definitely come again!

The staff here are so friendly, This place gets busy but they do have good breakfast. Loved all the Movie memorabilia and old black and white images from back in the day.

What a find this was! After arriving late at night we found this place for dinner. Food, service and staff were sensational. Was so good we went back 2 more times for breakfast and coffee

We visited San Francisco on May 15-19, 2021 and during one of our 'excursions' we discovered Mel's Drive In on Lombard. It was just down the street from our hotel and so we decided to give it a try. IT WAS AMAZING. Its manager, Melvin Soto, did everything possible to provide us with a fun and satisfying experience. The food was excellent, the service amazing and the atmosphere was representative of the 'days of old' when drive inn's were king. We really enjoyed eating here - so much so that we ate there 2 of the 4 nights we were in San Francisco. We found the prices very reasonable, the malts tasty and the burgers large and cooked to our specifications. The french fries were crisp and flavorable. If you are in the area do yourself a favor and stop in. You will be glad that you did.

Thought we'd try the diner one evening. Service was a little slow but we were in no rush so it didn't matter. Got the $150 bill (little pricey) and figured out a 10 percent tip on top would be fair. We got a hard time from the checkout lady as she wrote in a 25% tip. Maybe because we are foreigners from a non tipping country we are a bit naive but she never got her 25% - purely because of the way she demanded it. Would still recommend people to try Mel's diner but be prepared to be stung an extra 25%.

Don't be fooled by the look of this place from outside. It's a fabulous little American diner complete with juke boxes at the tables. The staff were friendly and the food was cooked freshly. They had a good range on the menu.

This is well laid out as an old fashioned diner and provides excellent service from it's staff. Very photogenic and just a very fun place to visit. Remarkably large menu choice to cover all appetites & tastes too. Food was well cooked & well presented too. Maria served us and was excellent, friendly and engaging too. I would always recommend visiting this little old fashioned style of diner, its San Francisco style at its best! Go, See, Enjoy!

Absolutely brilliant place, and the breakfast was delicious. But it cost $64 bucks that was with a 20% tip included for two breakfasts that were nothing special, ie eggs & bacon and hash browns. But for a special treat it maybe worth it to you. Great American dinner experience but with a price….great staff also…

Had a nice breakfast at Mel’s as it was across the street from our hotel. Solid corned beef hash that was homemade and other simple breakfast handled successfully.

The place is decorated in the style of the 50s-60s of the 20th century. It was the first place where we tried hamburgers on a tour we took along the West Coast of the United States and the truth is that they did not make a good impression on us. In fact, we stayed again a few days later in a nearby hotel and we did not repeat. For us it was a little disappointment. In our case, the price was just over $25 per person.

We ate here two mornings and it was delicious! So convenient to our hotel, and reasonably priced. Very homey atmosphere and good service.

We had a late night snack here after a show at the Palace of Fine Arts, then had breakfast here the next morning. The late night experience was a little less stellar than breakfast -- we were there about 90 minutes before closing, and the food was okay, but not as hot or fresh as it could have been. Breakfast the next morning was much better, though still my toast was served cold, and not buttered. Service could have been a little bit quicker.

Nothing short of excellence from employees to food just frigging like moms home cooking !kinda like goin back in time when food was simple and made with real ingridents

we tried Mels the first night we arrived in San Fran because it was a short walk from our hotel, very busy place we got the last available table and my wife and i both ordered the Melburger with an upgrade to chili fries and a lemonade and chocolate malt milkshake, first of all the drinks were good but the buns on the burgers were not fresh at all and hardly any chili on the fries, we got the bill and my jaw hit the table, they charge $7 for each upgrade on chili fries and all you get is a little dollop of chili and a bit of shredded cheese so the bill was $48 just for the burgers and chili fries alone...insane!!!

Food was good once we got it but the waitress never came back with refills on our beverages the interior of the restaurant was great jukebox in the booth W we were seated properly everybody was pleasant I would recommend the oatmeal and fruit that was very good my wife had the cheese omelette with potatoes and whole wheat toast Everybody else in the restaurant was being served by the waiter promptly we just had a bad experience with our waitress

Kids loved eating in this diner style restaurant which was only steps from our hotel. Food good and plentiful. Ate breakfast and dinner here.

This place was across the street from our hotel; made it easy for us on our schedule. Serice was fast!!! Food came quickly and tasted good. Pricey for breakfast.

This place has a 50s style atmosphere,and the service was pretty good,and the famous fifties tagline is”hey dj,put the record on”

Heard we just had to eat here, so were eager to try; sadly, I was disappointed. Large selection on the menu with some unique options but overall, the food was just average and quite expensive for the type of restaurant and the food served. Found the service to be a bit slow as well.

Fantastic place , a real diner . Server was brilliant . I had apple pie ( I would go back just for that ) and the wife had toasted cheese sandwich which was amazing and the best milkshake ever , would definitely go back .

I went here with my cousin because, she's been here before I haven't but it's an ok place. The diner decor is really cool but it's nothing special. I got a cheeseburger with an oreo shake, and they were both ok tasting. We went in the late afternoon so it wasn't packed, our food came out pretty quick. But I was super surprised that our bill was almost $60 for 2 cheeseburgers and shakes, at closer inspection the french fries are an added fee which is the first place I've seen that. I would say you can skip this place, it definitely was not worth the $60, if you know another place that has better and cheaper burgers go there. One plus is that they have wifi.

Mel's was across the street from our room, so we walked over. Had eggs oe bacon and hash browns with toast. Toast was a little too hard and dry, but the rest of the breakfast was good and plentiful.

This place has got a lot going for it, except the prices. Food was ok, even borderline pretty good, the prices were incredibly high tho. I understand it San Fran... I get it, but $77.00 for 2 @ lunch seemed a little to high. Anyways, it was fun & worth the experience. Enjoy, it’s the historic last stop on Route 66!

We mainly stopped for an eveningt coffee and a piece of apple pie and was fine. However we had breakfast one morning and it was only average, our friends breakfast was poor, sorry to say.

This Diner is exactly as expected! Huge breakfasts, good coffee - would be good for an evening meal too.

If you’re staying in the Marina district and are planning a big day of walking, then you’ll want to have a hearty breakfast. San Francisco has tons of excellent breakfast places, and one of the best is Mel’s Drive in on Lombard. Oh yes, it’s more than burgers! The ambiance is such that you almost feel any of the characters from the 1973 movie could drop in at any moment. The service is great and down home friendly. You’ll see. You won’t go wrong with a 3-egg omelette—and maybe a side of bacon?

Mel's will take you back to the kind of diner/drive-in that was around in the 1950's. It features an extensive casual menu with some higher-priced options as well as burgers, fries, omelettes, etc. It's a great place for kids!

We enjoyed our lunch here-especially the MILKSHAKES! The service was friendly and food was fresh and tasty. Prices seemed a bit high for what we ordered, but not out of line for San Francisco

A lovely typical American dining experience and the apple pie was truly delicious! Plus the chocolate milk shake too

Great breakfast location. We opted for a hearty breakfast each morning before long days of walking and attractions. Mel’s provides great food, location and ambiance! Our teenagers loved the jukebox. We enjoyed the “Happy Days” murals. We all had something different for breakfast and it was all good. The coffee was fresh and hot.

We were looking for dinner near our hotel and this looked good. True old fashioned diner and we had a great waitress. The three cheese grilled cheese and chicken salad sandwich were both very good. My daughter said her burger was the best she’d ever had. Loved the juke boxes and decor. Would recommend this as a stop for lunch or dinner if you are in the area!

back to the 50s/60s for this American Dinner, very hearty breakfast, like the price. Nice atmosphere, although crowded and a bit of a wait

Portion sizes are huge, staff were very helpful and menu had good gluten free options. We didnt eat again after our breakfast until mid afternoon.

It looks like the restaurant I always have lunch when I am in Disneyland! But it has a much better menu. It offers almost all popular American food, Ceased salad, chicken wings, different kinds of sandwiches, hotdog, chicken noodle soup.... The dishes I ordered were great! Waiters and waitresses are friendly. Prices are reasonable. The only thing I don't like about is the hygiene. The tables and chairs are not very clean. It located at the ground floor of a parking building.

Traditional American diner. Inside is decorated just as I'd imagined it would be, very 1960's. Food was lovely with large portions. Very nice.

Very happy it was roasted Turkey not sliced. My Wife's plate was a bit bigger than mine. Waiter was awesome and noticed it. He than brought out 5 more pieces. What can you say just so very satisfied. Shakes and Sliders were amazing. Highly recommend stopping by.

I had the NY steak with eggs for breakfast. It is served with roasted potatoes and the toast. The portion was very good and the food was tasty.

Ordered a takeaway Turkey roast dinner ......enormous quantity of meat and I mean enormous , mash not to my liking and a small amount of vegetables and 4 bread rolls. Hamburgers seemed popular. Is however a great atmosphere for families and friends to relax. Style of the old diners with juke boxes at booths Reasobaly price and excellent service

Lovely breakfast and we didn’t have to wait long. Waitress was helpful and brought our orange juice very quickly. The only down side was the price. Quite expensive

Traditional american dinner, individual mini juxeboxes - lovely for an early breakfast/ typical american dinner. Only place open catching sunrise at gorge

It's a homely, no fuss eatery with decent foods and good service. We ate there a couple of times for lunch and dinner. You can also order take-away if the place is crowded.

… first… ordered chicken pie with salad… no salad ever came… chicken pie.. tasted microwaved…. 21 dollars for that experience.. toss in a 5 dollar Coke…. Should have been wise when 2 tables waked out…. So… eat at your own risk…. But just remember… I told you so!…..

Mel's was very very busy the morning we visited. The place looked clean and definitely had the "diner" feel. The menu has a lot of options. We were there for breakfast. We didn't go fancy and both of us got one egg. One of us added an English muffin and the other had a bagel with cream cheese. There was nothing earth shattering about our food, but I didn't expect it with what we ordered. Next time, I would like to try more of their specialty items. Staff were okay but appeared rushed (unfortunately very busy for them). This is a great place to bring the kids.

Very friendy. Clean restaurant. Old style musicbox. Low price and large portions. Big choices. We were there at breakfasts and dinners. The only BUT are the cleanliness of the restrooms. Please keep it more clean .

Good diner, clean, had ham, eggs and potato with fresh juice and coffee. Nothing complicated. Good food, well done.

Cost bad benefit. Good food but super valued. Reasonable service but did not want to separate the payment in more than one person.

Staff amazing, so friendly and helpful. The booths and decoration great and jukeboxes work too. Food was delicious, apple pie in particular amazing!!

We had breakfast and dinner at Mels since it was within walking distance of our hotel. The food was very good and the 50's vibe was fun. It was expensive ($50 for breakfast for 2) but was to be expected in San Francisco. The wait staff was very attentive. Would eat there again if we were ever in San Fran.

Food wasn't bad but not worth the price. Had breakfast here because of proximity to hotel. Wouldn't go back, would go else where next time.

A step back in time for sure. Booths and counter seating. An old juke box greets you at the front door. Full menu of great breakfast items and lunch options. Food was hit, portions were good.

Visited here after a long, stressful drive to San Francisco. The restaurant was due to close in 15 minutes and we just wanted something to eat before going back to our hotel so we decided to have a take away. This was a typical burger restaurant, a cross between McDonalds and Burger King. We were approached by a man who appeared to be a supervisor/manager. He wasn’t too friendly and was a little abrupt. We ordered food which was just typical burger restaurant food but was nothing special. The food was expensive and I think we paid just under $40. It served a purpose and we only visited this place out of necessity.

Take a step back into the '60s to enjoy Mel's. The atmosphere is fun, the staff friendly and the food is excellent. I had a pulled pork grill cheese two days in a row. Yes, it was that good. My husband enjoyed his Taco Salad and our friend ate a grilled ham and cheese, which she loved too. The food is a tad on the expensive side for type of food they serve, but the value is there.

Mel’s became our daily breakfast place during our stay in the Marina District. A solid diner serving a great breakfast and lunch and dinner through the day. Service was great though clearly the place needs extra staff. Try and get there before 8 to ensure no wait time. I selected the Denver Omelette with Hash Browns, Homemade Corned Beef Hash, and the Ham & Cheese omelette over our visits. All tasted great with good diner coffee that keeps coming. Toast included with each breakfast. Would love to go back when next in the city

We stopped at Mel's Drive-In after a long day of sight-seeing. We've been to many diners in our travels, and thought this franchise looked cute from the outside. It wasn't busy at all for 6 pm, so we were seated right away by a pleasant server. We opted for the much-touted meatloaf dinner and a meatloaf sandwich on grilled sourdough. Our beverage was water, but there was no ice. While waiting, I dropped a quarter into the booth-jukebox, but it didn't work. When the meals were delivered, I was a little disappointed that the meatloaf was mostly oatmeal filler. It made for a very starchy taste. The grilled vegetables were tasty, though.

Went here twice when we were staying just across the road, which should count for something. The food and choice was very good for what is a very typical diner. Our waitress, who served us on each occasion, made the meals a pleasurable experience as she was very attentive and both engaged with and took an interest in us, which made us feel valued. I only wish I could remember her name because she deserves to be identified.

After hearing I must try this place out was disappointed. The service was terrible. My bacon was charcoal. The waitress never came back. Complained to manager but he shrugged. Don’t recommend

This Diner is a hidden gem, we were on the open bus tour and got off at the stop near this diner. We got off and wanted to get some lunch so we went to Mel’s. From outside this place looks like a proper American diner. We went inside and was greeted by a kind gentleman. We are a family of 5 (2 adults and 3 children) we got a table within 5 minutes by the window. The inside of this restaurant is brilliant and really sets it off, it was nicely decorated. During our 8 day stay in San Francisco we visited this diner twice and on both occasions it was on point 100% excellent. On both occasions the staff were very friendly, polite and accommodating. On both occasions the food was on point excellent taste and presentation perfect. Children loved the food and we did we. The portions are very substantial and you will walk out full. The Vanilla malt milkshake is the best I’ve had and I’ve had a fair few. For anyone visiting San Francisco and want a place for breakfast, lunch or dinner which you will not be disappointed. Especially if you have kids they will love it. They have parking to the left of the diner which is ideal. 100% highly recommended

We had heard good stuff about this place, but we were disappointed with the food. It was very convenient to our hotel which was across the street, and it is a real 50’s type diner. The staff was very nice and attentive, but I would not make a return trip.

Great food and service. Went for breakfast and had French toast, eggs, hash browns and crispy bacon. Went for lunch and dinner and between us we had burgers, fish and chips, chicken pot pie, several shakes. Fun fifties vibe.

Ask about the secret menu options. Good food selection and good fast service. Staff were knowledgeable about local public transportation

Old school diner, with jukebox selectors at tables by the wall. Looked just the ticket but got the impression all just going through the motions. Quite busy and food slow to come to table. I had the Avocado on toast with poached eggs and they were cold when they arrived, nicely cooked but cold. Watered down OJ. Free coffee top ups Corned beef hash good. Shame

This Mels, just like any other Mels has GREAT food! Busy place but got good service. Price was good.

Me and my wife were staying at Cow Hollow Inn right across the street and went for a late dinner. My wife had the turkey breast and I had the meat loaf. Very authentic home made style food and the place is comfortable and clean. Friendly staff.

Okay then. Where to start. Got seated promptly. Pretty full restaurant BUT absolutely nobody came to say anything to us for almost 15 minutes. No hey I see you’re alive I be with you soon or hey we are busy but I see you in the corner of the restaurant and we know you’re there. Nothing. THEN the waitress finally makes it over and asks if we are ready to order. Well I managed to memorize the menu by that time so yeah? Meanwhile the table next to us got their food, ate, sat around a while paid their bill. Sat around awhile and eventually left. Tables next to us waiting even longer than us. Wait wait wait. Finally food arrives after about 20 minutes. Understand they are busy but … The food. Nothing at all memorable. Understand we are in San Francisco so pricey but we were prepared for that, let’s not forget the “San Francisco mandate” whatever that 5.5% gets me. But value wise nah, not something I’d really want to do again unless nothing else is around. They look like they need to hire some more help ASAP. waitress complained there were only two of them to run all the tables. Well Mel, if you can’t run the restaurant at full capacity with the help you have then cut the capacity as there is no reason to have the tables waiting and waiting and waiting because eventually people will walk out and not come back. So final verdict: wanted to like the place. Tried to like the place. We are staying across the street so it would have been so convenient to come back again. We MIGHT try it one more time but there are so many more choices within walking distance from this place. If you have all the time in the world and have no other choices for common breakfast food then this is a place for you, but I’ll probably look around for better. IF we come back I’ll update my review.

Place has adequate parking. Visited for breakfast, and the place was packed. Looks like a typical American diner. Ordered milkshake for breakfast which was excellent, otherwise the other food was mediocre. Server got part of our order wrong but seeing how busy everyone was, we did not bother to complain.

Great early morning breakfast before setting off down PCH1. Great location on Lombard Street with ample parking. We had a mixture of breakfasts (4) and everybody was very satisfied. Food and service were spot on!

Really unique place with old school vibe. The atmosphere was a lot of fun. The milk shakes are delicious!

This was the perfect answer in our ongoing discussion restaurant (adults) or fast-food (kids) for dinner. This diner brought you back to the times of Grease and made you regret not to wear your petticoat. Food was great. The place was stunning

The real oldschool dining experience! Typical American dinner dishes, well prepared. Interior what to expect at a real dinner including the jukeboxes. Must do!

Great simple food, large portions for Europeans, great atmosphere. It was really busy when we went so service was a little slower than the norm.

Eat here a few times during my holiday for breakfast. Great selection of food, awesome refils on the coffee, friendly staff aswell. Cool retro diner interior, and plays old music on the jukebox. Well worth a visit if you are on holiday here .

A real American diner experience for us English with table jukeboxes and refills. Good coffee and a varied menu with big portions!

We’ve been to Mel’s a couple of times before and have always enjoyed the real American diner experience, complete with chrome fixtures and Juke boxes. I was looking forward to our usual visit on a recent trip to San Fran. I have recently been diagnosed as coeliac so have to avoid gluten, there were a few meals I could’ve ordered safely, including a salmon dish and roast chicken dinner. But as I was in Mel’s and it said on the menu burgers could be made gluten free (gf) I went for the Mel Burger, as did my husband, we also both ordered a milkshake for the full experience. I was expecting the wheat bun to be replaced with a gf bun/roll (these are definitely readily available) however I was rather disappointed when my burger turned up nestled between two slices of gf bread! It was tricky to eat as gf bread is crumbly, but bread aside the burger and other fillings were quite tasty. The fries were just ok, didn’t seem as nice as they had been on previous trips, seemed a bit “McDonaldsy” whereas in the past they’ve been skin on fries and much nicer. The banana milkshake I had was delicious, with cream and a cherry on top! The service was good and our waitress was friendly and checked we were ok throughout. It’s not cheap here (San Francisco generally is an expensive place to eat out) and I’m not sure it’s completely worth the price paid, but you do get to eat in proper retro diner surroundings, which is very cool.

Ambient food and impeccable service! We had breakfast here all day of our holiday and it was spectacular good music and we were very well served! Apple foot phenomenal! Thanks guys!

We came here after getting the bus from north of the bridge. It's right next to a bus stop heading south on Lombard street. It really looks the part and the burgers we both got were excellent. Would recommend.

Very good atmosphere. Furniture in retro style and most of the employees very friendly. Food and price are good. Would recommend Mels an time.

The place looked really nice on the outside. It was fairly dirty on the inside. Was served water in a dirty glass with lipstick on it. Also was charged an HOGM fee... over all the food was just okay, nothing special.

Landed in San Francisco and stumbled across Mel’s diner. Our server Rick and staff were terrific. Lots of tasty food options. It has the classic American diner aesthetic. Loved listening to LDR on the jukebox. I went simple with chicken tenders and fries and was satisfied as the portion was filling and tasty.

Reasonably priced with some parking located along the approach to the Golden Gate Bridge. Breakfast served all day and stays open late.

Superb typical American restaurant, with adorable waiters / waitresses, a very varied menu from steamed vegetable burgers. Special mention for breakfasts and gargantuan desserts

We had breakfast here, nothing extraordinarily good but high quality stuff. Staff was friendly and competent, prices were a bit high though...

Classic designed interior. Good selection for the food including the kids menu. Well prepared meal nice and tasty. You can park outside if you’re driving, so you don’t need to worry about that

We had a great time as a family. The Halloween decoration was fun, and the prices were reasonable. The staff are very attentive and very helpful. We were treated to a lovely cake and birthday song, as well as little touches for the children. It was really great! We advise !

It looked interesting so we had to try it for breakfast and we were so very happy that we did. Inside is like a scene from a 50's movie but it's real and not tacky, you can sit in a booth or at high stools at the counter, we had a window booth the first time and a jukebox booth on the second visit. The menu was very much as you'd expect the menu to be from the Happy Days or Back to the Future dinners. The choice was huge and maybe even a little overwhelming for a Brit with no dinner experience but the food was great and a good size. We loved the experience, the food and I even bought a Mel's Dinner T-shirt.

Nice setting for typical 50’s dinners Fairly extensive menu but nothing extraordinary Quick cleaning of tables To do for the frame

We stopped here for our first breakfast in San Francisco - with Jet lag we were up at 5 so the fact they open at 6 was the deciding factor - that and it's a cool 60's diner so why wouldn't you want to go..! Inside it's wonderfully retro, wait staff were in 60's clothing and there were juke boxes in the booths with 60's songs playing loud enough to sing to but not that you couldn't hear each other speaking. We have a tradition of having our first breakfast in the States of Pancakes, Bacon and Maple syrup which we both ordered. The food arrived with massive portions, eggs scrambled perfectly (eggs came as standard) but everything else was a little bland. We did enjoy it but it wasn't the banging breakfast we were looking for. We did go back a couple of days later and had Omelette and Chicken sausage, egg and fried potatoes which was much better :) My cup was never empty and the coffee was yummy, unlimited Coke top ups too. The staff were on the ball even when people were queuing out of the door, very attentive and friendly and gave you time if you needed it. We found another Mel's in LA too but didn't get the chance to try it which was a shame.

The place is an old classic fifties style diner. It’s very dirty and is in desperate need of a make over or upgrade. The food is terrible but the service is the worst we’ve had in 10 years of visiting the states. The waitress was dirty and very rude almost throwing the sandwich on the table, forgetting the drinks and all round crap.

We’ve stayed in the Marina District a few times before and like to get breakfast here. I usually have the oatmeal or avocado toast, both are good. My husband and daughter liked their breakfast as well. The restaurant is in a great location and we felt the service was good on the three days we went recently. We will definitely patronize this restaurant when we come back for a visit.

Perfect place to find yourself immersed in the 60s. Hearty and good meals. Retro decor and impeccable service. We had a wonderful time there.

My waitress was very friendly and helpful. Service was quick and the food was well cooked and with generous portions. Nice breakfast experience.

Had a Blue Plate Special: Chicken-fried Steak with TWO gravies, mashed potatoes with dark brown gravy and vegetables. I never had meat with more than one gravy on it. The dark brown one may have come from a box-mix. I didn’t mind it; made think of my high school cafeteria. The other gravy was a bechamel (?) with a crumbled meat-like substance. Was it Sausage Gravy? Didn’t taste like it. The carrots were crunchy but they were warm and the zucchini was suitable for anyone without teeth. This vegetable medley was cloaked with something sour; might have been salad-dressing. I am persistent; I may again risk my palate if not my stomach with a milkshake. What could go wrong?

The food was very good, large portions. I ordered the cheese fries and the Mac and cheese, very good! Nice atmosphere aswell.

Conveniently placed diner out the back of the big shopping centre San Fransisco, the service was good but the food was very expensive for what it was, 2 hot dogs, a sandwich with fries, a coke and a milkshake came to around $80 which is crazy for what is essentially fast food. The milkshake was great but not worth anywhere near $10. The diner itself was cool inside with a duke box in each booth.

Great traditional diner decor complete with jukebox at the booth. It's very busy, so service was a bit slow at times, but the food was good. Plenty of choice on the menu. Meals are big and the price reflects this. Chicken salad in a taco shell was tasty. Southern fried chicken dinner was OK. The sundaes were yummy.

After not finding any family restaurants open after our Alcatraz night tour we stopped here. Staff was friendly and it was clean. I realize we are in the city but $14 for a burger and fries is just overpriced.

Very happy with the experience. We had dinner and breakfast. We liked the vintage atmosphere, it's exotic. The recipes differ from the dinners established in France and it's great. The servers take great care.

We went to Mel’s Drive in for Breakfast. The food was ok. Nothing fancy. Pretty average breakfast. But the service was HORRIBLE! We ordered two small drinks and one large. They serve us three large. We told them we ordered somethibg else they said that it was punched in and left the drinks on the table. We figured we wouldn’t be charged. But they did charged us for three large and told us that they charged for what we got not what we ordered. Then they overcharged us for food and when we made them notice their mistake they seemed really annoyed. They gave us a discount which was not enough to cover the extra we were paying. We decided to just let it go and leave. I am not usually leving bad comments but this is the worst service I’ve had in a restaurant ever. Not a smile, not an apology for all the mistakes and we paid for their mistakes. Will never go there and wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.

It was only 5 minutes from our hotel. Very tasty breakfast and very friendly service. The next visit definitely again.

Saw this diner and thought it would be cool to visit but what a disappointment! We ordered 2 starters to share only to be told about 15mins later when they brought one of the starters that they had no nachos! The waitress gave no service at all! Very unapologetic about it all. Paid the bill and left a very dissatisfied customer. Over priced too.

We went here for dinner as we were staying close by. It's certainly an authentic American 'Diner' experience, hence the prices are a little steep. But, the food quality and quantity was good, the cheque came to just over $100 for 4 meals with drinks. It was a nice meal and obviously frequented by locals, always a good sign.

Wouldn’t be running back, nothing exciting about food, onion rings were burnt, southern fried chicken was strange, plus duke boxes take money but don’t play your chosen song

Called for something to eat with my son. Loved the decor - retro and feel about the diner. Staff were friendly and dressed in keeping with theme of diner. My son had the meatloaf and I had beef stroganoff, both were delicious (stroganoff came with pasta, would have preferred mash and veg that came with meatloaf)

My friend and I went in this restaurant and we were really disappointed. My friend ask for the soup of the day, the waiter said that it was finished. So she ordered the chicken soup with noodles. After 15 minutes, my plate was almost ready, she came and told us, there is no more chicken soup. Basically a waiter should know about her availabilities on her menu. So my friend ordered mashed potatoes and coleslaw. Once my plate was served she came with only the small little tiny coleslaw and said no more mashed potatoes ! So for the second time after 15 minutes of waiting she did not know about her menu. Also I asked for my tacos and chicken plate no jalapeños, but it was in so I took them out of the plate. In conclusion the waiter does not know about her menu at all, and the tacos plate was really not in the classic and basic way of presentation. It was not tasty at all. We will never come back to this restaurant.

We were looking forward to visiting Mel's but were quite disappointed, we were hoping for that old school diner feel when what we got was very mainstream fast food, service was average they took our order, gave us our meal and give us the bill that was it. Meals were ok but not worth the $$ if you are hungry and want to eat then sure, but not somewhere I would visit again ever. There are far better meals and experiences to be had in SF.

Visiting the Bay Area with my son we woke up at 3am and decided to venture out to find a place to eat, came across Mel's and weren't disappointed. It wasn't busy but we were not alone. My son had cinnamon toast and I took fried eggs, we had a juice and coffee. Friendly and efficient service and the bill was ok too.

Typical dinner from the 50s/60s with its juke boxes and leather benches. Very generous breakfast, like the American price, but it's worth the detour

Amazing breakfast with good coffee. Real American dining room with amazing photos on the wall. Personal very friendly. On the table there is jubox and you can play your song. Portions are giants.

Imagine chicken McNuggets , now imagine really bad,, mysteriously fishy, nasty smelling and tasting ones that are being served as battered fish. Apparently Mel decided that real fish fillets weren’t something worthy of their customers and hard, gross,stinky mystery fish turd shaped nuggets were something we all would like to eat and then pay for!! WE WILL NEVER RETURN OH…Skip the quesadillas with what we think was egg powder and spicy Whiskas…unless you don’t like your cat…then get a kitty bag to go

Came here because we were looking for a quick, affordable breakfast in a diner atmosphere. 2 plates with some diner coffee and juice cost almost $50! The portions were embarrassingly small. For the same price the previous day, we ate a several course, exquisite lunch at Burma Superstar for the same amount. You can do much better than this. Save your money for some actual quality food.

Visit was on Sunday for lunch. Place was moderately busy but got seated right away. Waitress came right away got my drink order and I ordered one of there burgers. Food was served very quickly. Food was average but not special. Waitress never returned to check on me after that, so I just waited for the check when I was done. The 50's drive-in style was cool, but service could be better. Food is just average.

Great food, service, and atmosphere. Everything was great but just a little pricey for some burgers and shakes.

The waiters' attention leaves much to be desired, I ordered a grilled salmon and it was fatty, my daughter's burger was the same. Wouldn’t come back

We were in the restaurant somewhat early for a Sunday morning. The chicken and waffle plate was HUGE, and my son says the chicken was the best he’s ever had. We’re from the south, so we know our fried chicken, and these two pieces were cooked and seasoned to perfection. The omelet was also good. There were fun touches throughout the restaurant with our own tabletop jukebox where we selected songs to play during our meal, and memorabilia everywhere showcasing Mel’s dating back to the 1940s. The service was good and the prices were reasonable (by San Francisco standards). We also saw several locals either picking up meals or dining at the restaurant (our waitress knew them by name and what they wanted to order).

We walked around and finally found a place open for Thanksgiving. Steak and eggs and pancakes were all tasty and filling. We love the retro atmosphere and music! Service was bland but professional. Prices are good. Happy Thanksgiving!

My wife and I went to Mel's Drive-in diner because our hotel did not have breakfast and we loved it. We actually made sure to come back later in the evening for dinner, during the days while in San Francisco. The service was excellent, we felt as if we were with family. Sandra, Maria were attentive and Julio at the cash register was friendly and the manager Shyan was amazing- always helpful, pleasant and making sure that we were taken care of. And the food was excellent, just like having a wonderful home cooked meal. When we return to San Francisco we will definitely be returning to Mel's Drive in Diner.

We had burger, which weren’t bad, but weren’t great either. Average at most, but quite overpriced. I wouldn’t have minded the price should the burgers have been delicious. I liked the decor, and the place was clean.

We were seated and then it we were never greeted by a waiter until we asked for service after 15 minutes. When we received our check, we waited over 20 minutes to get the payment taken. Horrible service. The waiters walked past several times and just ignored us.

Our hotel recommended this diner, and it being so close to the hotel, we gave it a try. When we got there, it was buzzing, a great atmosphere and people queuing for tables, staff were great and got us a table straight away, my meal was good but my husband ordered steak and it was obviously not steak, more like a burger and not much with it. Also people who were waiting for tables sat down on spare seats which were right next to our table which was very uncomfortable and they were watching everything we ate, so we quickly paid up and left. We gave it another chance the next morning for breakfast but to be honest wish we hadn’t, disappointing yet again.

I had breakfast, lunch and dinner there on different days and it was always nice and yummy there. Really nice and quick stuff. The food‘s quality is very good. Everything is clean. Good show! Try the Oreo Milkshake - OMG, so yummy!

Discovered that this great diner was less than a block from our hotel, Great juices, superb corned beef hash with excellent service. The historic juke boxes at the tables just adds to the atmosphere. Recommended for breakfast, menu looks good for lunch and dinner but we could not be there for those meals.

The service was fast and friendly, portions were very large. My potatoes were very tasty but very salty. Our bill for 2 breakfast was $47.

we had our dinner here before our concert,2019 pageant sf symphony,michael tilson thomas and julia fischer a very merry christmas with st william catholic church

Good American dinner with classic American decoration. The service is kind but particularly slow that day. Recommendation: Smash burger

This place is a shadow of its former self. The prices have shot through the roof but the quality has taken a dive. I ordered an omelette and they’ve resorted to using processed cheese slices inside instead of proper cheese. The portion sizes have shrunk as well. There is clearly a lot of cost cutting going on here. Service is mediocre as well.

Waitstaff attentive. Very clean and left me plenty of room to read paper, relax and take my time. Needed directions - friendly clientele as well and helpful

We were staying locally and headed to mel diner for brunch in our first day It set us up for a full day sightseeing, portion sizes are huge but that’s what we’ve come to expect in USA 🇺🇸 Corn beef hash was superb, hash brown were delicious though lacked a bit of seasoning 🧂 Service was great

Great 50's style diner. Love the look of this diner it retro and makes you feel like you've stepped back in time. The food and coffee was great. Loved the jukeboxes on the tables. The place was super busy the waiting staff seemed to handle it well. They did overcharge us but once we pointed it out they were quick to correct the bill.

Good place where to have a satisfactory and cheap breakfast before climbing San Francisco ‘s hills. Servings are enough for two person and prices very affordable. I ordered some buttermilk pancake with scrambled eggs and bacon. Divine!

Mediocre food at best and overpriced. My wife got a taco salad with chicken and the chicken was rubbery and flavorless. I ordered two short rib sliders that were extremely small and not worth it. The only thing that saved it from a one star rating was the milkshake.

Okay before I write this a few disclaimers. Im not from the USA but Australia and my only experience of diners is what watching Al's Diner in Happy Days. With that in mind Mels diner has great food and service. If thick shakes and milkshakes are your go-to then this is the place for you ! Otherwise they do great sandwiches and hamburgers also. The staff were very attentive and friendly and we couldn't have asked for more. Probably best for families with teenagers or couples. Probably not the place for a romantic date.

Just love this place - perfect for a UK visitor looking for a movie style experience. Avocado and eggs the best ever 💕

Can order basically anything off the menu at all hours of the day or night. We came for bkfst & my friend actually ordered Wings & Fries! As good at 6am as 6pm! Also, ordered eggs, ham, bacon their own special bkfst potatoes & toast. Has a 1950’s theme and I believe built in ‘46! Service was quick & efficient and we highly recommend!!

Mel’s Drive-In did not disappoint for a wonderful true American diner experience. We happened upon Mel's for breakfast during our stay in Cow Hollow and it was awesome. It was impeccably clean and inviting. Great service. Large portions and best bacon I have ever had. Great ambiance complete with jukebox and photos of famous celebrities who had dined in at Mel’s. One true American diner experience checked off our guests bucket list. After all, Mel’s Drive-In right on Lombard Street in San s Francisco is the best place for this.

Our party of 3 visited on Dec.3,2018. There was one server on-duty and it appeared to be a slow evening. It appears, to us anyway, that $15.95 is a bit high for a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, but one of our party order one anyway; with fries. The fries were not hot, and the burgers were not as hot as they should've been. It was a cold night and the place could have used some heat. (Even the server said she was cold) This Mel's seems to have lost some of it's "old time" values and it's too bad.

Although part of a chain, this particular diner provides hearty food at a reasonable price. The decor honours the 50’s experience and there is an honesty about the welcoming service. If you are looking for a good start to the day - go. I would recommend the corned beef hash.

Came in on a quiet Sunday afternoon and whilst the server did engage it was all too slow -2 0 mins between order and receipt of food and my “spicy chicken creole” took a bit longer apparently…. Also mixed up the fries/coleslaw order … Bit disappointing for the cost Sounds like it could be a lot better on occasion ..

We were looking for a place for dinner late in the evening and pulled into a place that was open and brightly lit. Little did I now it was the original Mel's the descendent of the movie icon from American Graffiti. The place was very busy for 9 pm on a weekday. I loved the whole chrome diner 50's decor. I had a club sandwich which was great. My wife tried the salmon which she found okay. I had warned her to stay with classically diner fare, but she wanted fish. I finished up with apple pie which was also very flavorful. I would go back to Mel's any time.