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    Mel's Diner

    4.2 (315 reviews)
    Closed • 7:00 am - 1:00 pm

    Mel's Diner Photos

    Business Info

    MEL'S DINER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Mel's Diner

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    Menu
    Vanessa T.

    Food was very good didn't get pictures of all the plates we ordered but the food was good. Food came out super fast and the service was excellent, they kept checking in on us and were very attentive. The interior was very homey and comforting overall a pleasant experience!

    Buttered toast
    Liz N.

    Our first time here today and wow the food was cooked perfectly to how we love breakfast! The country style potatoes were crispy but also fluffy, the sausage was perfectly cooked and we loved the chili on top of the cheese filled omelette. It's cash only but they do accept Venmo or Zelle. We'll definitely be coming back!

    Chicken Fried Steak & Eggs (TikTok: @justandyvu)
    Andy V.

    1. The steak and eggs were cooked perfectly the way I ordered it! The portions are good! 2. The spot has chill casual vibes! The interior is cozy! 3. The staff were friendly and attentive! Our food was ready in less than 15 mins! 4. There is an indoor and outdoor seating area! there are a lot of tables and booths! 5. Parking lot is huge! Note: This spot only accept cash and Venmo! Photo: NY Steak & Eggs and Chicken Fried Steak & Eggs

    hash
    Ann N.

    We came here for a work conference but were able to also visit a friend. We were brought to this restaurant for breakfast and was not disappointed. The service is outstanding and the food impeccable. I ordered a vegetarian omelette with their version of hash-browns. Your plate is literally filled with yumminess. We also tried the famous cinnamon rolls and luckily we did as we got the last one. If you have diabetes, don't get this. It's super sweet and decadent. I can see how they sell out quickly. Sadly no pics were taken as we sampled up the roll pretty quick. My coffee was continuously refilled. For an unassuming restaurant in a strip mall, they pack a punch!

    Mel's Diner
    Zan L.

    I would say this is my favorite diner in Fountain Valley. It's a no fuss, traditional, American diner, specializing in breakfast and lunch. It's fairly small on the inside, but it is very homey and the sort of place that you'd want to stay a while. Our server was very polite and everything that we ordered arrived very fast. It's important to know they don't accept credit card, only cash or Venmo. It's in a small shopping center, so there is plenty of free parking right out front. I had read many reviews about their award-winning Chicken Fried Steak so had to order that for myself for my first visit. I will say that the steak was fantastic and it had a great sear on it. I would definitely say it's one of the better Chicken Fried Steaks I've had in a long time and would highly recommend ordering it. Pricing is also very fair so I would recommend to anyone in or visiting the Fountain Valley area.

    St240Jo C.

    Mel's Diner popped up when my girlfriend was looking for breakfast, and it was our first time here. I'll say this right away--it was delicious. We ordered a mushroom & bacon omelet, cinnamon roll (instead of toast), potatoes, and a 4-stack of pancakes. I've honestly never been to a place that lets you swap toast for a cinnamon roll, and that alone won me over. The roll was soft, warm, and absolutely delicious. The omelet was fluffy and flavorful, and the potatoes were my favorite part--so good that I ended up ordering an extra side. The pancakes were classic, fluffy, and hit the spot. You can tell this place has been around for a long time--in a good way. Even the old-school cash register gave it character, which I really liked. Just a heads-up: it's cash only (or Venmo), so come prepared. Overall: great food, comforting diner vibes, and a spot we'll definitely be coming back to again.

    Chicken fried steak eggs over med English muffin
    Jordan P.

    Had a nice calm breakfast here Holly took care of me and all the food was very good. Coffee is very hot as well and will definitely be back!

    Julia J.

    Come back for coffee, breakfast Order a coffee, cinnamon roll , biscuits & gravy Faster service here The cinnamon roll and the biscuit wasn't completely the both baked still aren't not fully baked. (the dough is still wet and sticky, like raw dough) Seems like rushed to serving. We just left after paid!

    Yanci M.

    We love this place so much that we are here every weekend and we know the staff on a first name basis as if they are our extended family. Ms.Holly, Ms.Pam , Don Ignacio , Melanie, Melissa to name a few.... Hats off to the chef and sous chefs that make this incredible yummy food. I have been brining my friends and family to this lovely place and introduction them to this family oriented diner! We will be coming here for many more weekends to come. Blessings to all of you

    Corned beef hash, shaped freeform and homemade feel
    Jay P.

    My mother in law rarely eats breakfast and surprised us by telling us she felt like Denny's. We've been to Mel's without her and we told her we should support a local business and came by after she found out how close it was. It's been around since 1988 and I like the old sun-worn sign out front. Lots of locals eat here and it's clear they have a good relationship with the community. Lunch and breakfast is served all day so you can order anything on the menu, they are also open 7am 6 days a week and are perfect for early risers. The country fries are like giant hashbrowns and are great! We all ordered them as a side. They also garnish their dishes with a little sprig of parsley and I like little touches like that. Ham and cheese omelette: mother in law enjoyed this, two colors of cheese and ham diced neatly. Corned beef hash: the corned beef has more of a freeform shape and it gave it a home cooked feel. Tasted good and not too salty. Turkey avocado and cheese sandwich: I asked for the bread toasted and wish it was toasted slightly longer. Everything was freshly prepared, the avocado was still nice and green.

    Country Fried Steak 8/10
    Michelle N.

    Conveniently located next to the Tesla superchargers. Mom and pop shop that has your typical breakfast fares. My goto is the chicken fried steak. Beware of the salsa it is super spicy!! Customer service ia the best!

    Peter T.

    Absolutely love this place, their award winning country fried steak and eggs is as advertised, award winning worthy. I also had the club and steak sandwiches on separate occasions, always good here and I love their service as well.

    Today's special gourmet omelette

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    11 months ago

    Update on the biscuits and gravy. This time it was a nice soft biscuit. The gravy is decent but not homemade. I would get it again.

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    5 months ago

    Bomb breakfast and yummy soup. Got the ham and cheese melt and the cup of soup and was very yum service was great.

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    5 months ago

    The service was GREAT!!!! Very comforting!!!! Alyssa is AWESOME! Her personality is everything!

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    Mel's Diner Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Mel's Diner

    Is this place cash only?

    We also accept Venmo .

    Is this place the same restaurant with Mel's Drive-in in Hollywood?

    No, this is a mom pop local business

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Woody's Diner - BLT Sammie

    Woody's Diner

    3.7(385 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    •$$

    Was treated to dinner here by a friend so unfortunately I can't comment on price as they hid the…read morebill from me but the food was awesome. Cute, comfortable interior. Booth seating is available both inside and outside - that's awesome, never seen booth seating outdoors! Ordered a Texas BBQ Burger with some fries and ranch. Ranch passes the not-too-runny test. Fries are good - crisp, seasoned like curly fries typically are but they are straight, natural cut. I may have ordered them extra crispy, I usually do. Burger was delicious, bacon onion ring, BBQ and cheese, what's not to love? Hard to mess up a western bacon cheeseburger and thankfully Woody's has a great one. Wish I would've tried a shake or malt - they looked super yummy. I had a bite of each, tasted similar so I'm unsure what the difference is. If they have a banana shake with like.. oreo or chocolate, I think that'd be divine. Service was quick, server was friendly, napkins were conveniently stocked at the table. Each booth had the fun, old-school jukebox selection, although ours was not working so I am not sure if this feature is currently active but I hope it is - always a fun thing to make people suffer with an awful song of my choice. Jokes.. jokes... they don't usually have bad songs anyway! Plentiful parking, and the restaurant is located on it's own private lot so no big strip mall traffic to deal with. Convenient. Looking forward to my next visit and bringing my burger-loving buddies along with me. Thanks for having us!

    Today we ordered To Go. I changed it up from my usual with a half order of French Toast and a cup…read moreof fruit. When I got home, there was syrup yes, but no butter. It was annoying because while I was waiting for my order, I heard one of the servers ask for some whipped butter and I was looking forward to it. I didn't see powdered sugar on it either but that may have gotten absorbed in the drive home. The fruit cup was okay, heavy on the melon. All in all, not one of my favorite meals from here.

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    Paul's Coffee Shop - Eggs Benedict

    Paul's Coffee Shop

    3.9(771 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    •$$

    I was in Vegas a couple weekends ago and one thing you should know about me is that I NEVER watch…read moreTV, but for some reason when I'm at a hotel I always throw on Triple D and that's exactly how I discovered Paul's Coffee Shop. It's rare that a local spot gets featured, so I figured why not check it out? Stopped in for lunch and ordered their Loco Moco and my friend ordered a Corned Beef Hash. I had to order the loco moco because I love loco moco and it looked amazing on TV. When it arrived at the table I couldn't wait to dig in! It tasted pretty much as good as it looked on TV! A plate of rice with a hamburger patty on top, a fried egg, all swimming in a glistening, velvety brown gravy. The perfect example of comfort on a plate. The corned beef hash was really good too! However, it wasn't exactly a looker, but it didn't matter because it tasted great. It also came with a side of biscuits and gravy which unfortunately was a bit... dry and dense? The gravy was tasty though. The burger patty for the loco moco was good, but it had a bit of an iron-y aftertaste to it which wasn't bad, but maybe if the meat itself was seasoned, the seasonings would mask the taste completely or at least tone it down some. The red jalapeno sauce they have at the table is delicious!! I pretty much put some in every bite since it was in a convenient squeeze bottle. Personally not spicy to me, but flavor wise it was addicting. Service was great. Summer was really nice! She noticed our biscuit looked a little sad, so she dropped off a new one while we were packing our leftovers up! It definitely looked a lot better than the first one lol. Paul's Coffee Shop is worth checking out if you haven't been! Great spot to grab a big hearty breakfast or lunch (they close at 2 PM though!)

    Cool place! The interior decoration is nothing like I've seen. Quite a special experience…read more Service is great, but food is mediocre. Wouldn't go back purely for the food but it's a nice place to relax. Coffee is good!

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    District 36 Diner - Five-Spice Chicken Fried Steak

    District 36 Diner

    4.6(143 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    •$$

    What an awesome gem of a spot here in Orange County! I've been eyeing checking District 36 Diner…read moreout for the longest time - ever since they opened up earlier this year - but they have the weirdest opening hours! I always thought of them "as the restaurant with the bizarre hours" - literally four hours a day during the week (closed Mondays) - and only slightly longer hours during the weekend. Upon first stepping foot into the space - you're transformed into an old-school diner with Vietnamese influence. The walls are well decorated in Vietnamese memorabilia. I was greeted by Brian almost immediately - who directed me to a spot "wherever I'd like to sit" - and I opted for one of the booths. Brian - is the co-owner of the diner, but is also part of "old-school" Little Saigon culinary royalty - a descendant of the family that founded the OG Song Long restaurant off Bolsa Ave. that has since shut down (known for their Cha Ca Thanh Long dish - which sadly, you can't get here). He is incredibly warm, genuine, and easy to chat with. After trying to decide between their Bo Kho variations (which is my favorite Vietnamese dish next to pho) - I settled for something new for me - their Five Spiced Chicken Fried Steak - which also comes with two eggs your way (I picked "Sunny Side up"), tater tots, and a Diet Coke. The wait was minimal - and the food was awesome! The tater tots tasted fresh - was perfectly crispy on the outside, soft and yummy on the inside. I found myself eating those first - while letting the gravy seep into my chicken fried steak to soften it up a bit. The chicken fried steak was perfectly flavored - you could almost taste a bit of pho spices with each bite. The homemade gravy was out of this world amazing - making the chicken breading soft enough for me to eat comfortably. The two sunny side up eggs had perfect yolks - I like to poke, and then suck each yolk up - before eating the whites. I appreciate Brian cranking up the AC since I forgot to bring in my portable fan - and it was a pretty warm day. Hoping to check them out again this Saturday for their take on Bun Bo Hue or maybe one of their Bo Kho dishes! Plenty of parking in the shared lot with a Grocery Outlet and Artisan 7 Leaves (which I stopped by after my lunch here). Hope to see them more busy! Brian told me he'd definitely consider opening longer hours during the week if business picks up. Check them out!! They have a unique twist on traditional diner foods with a bit of Vietnamese flair!

    This diner is in the same plaza as several other restaurants and cafes. The parking lot was not…read morefull when I got there but it did get busy after. The diner is very clean with interesting artwork and vibrant colors. I got the Five-Spice Chicken Fried Steak, Mama's Crispy Rolls, and a cup of Chicken broth to share. The rolls were hot and crispy with fresh leafy greens. The chicken fried steak was very crispy with a consistency almost like fried chicken. The taste is different from a traditional southern type of chicken fried steak. It had an interesting flavor like a mix of the pho seasoning. It is a brownish yellowish color and tastes a little like curry. It paired well with the tots. This was a hearty but not super heavy brunch dish and having a cup of the chicken broth was perfect to wash everything down. The breakfast burrito looked very good on the menu and I might try that for on another visit. I would recommend this diner for anyone looking for one with a retro modern feel and fusion food and good service.

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    District 36 Diner - American diner meets Little Saigon vibes

    American diner meets Little Saigon vibes

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    Mel's Diner - diners - Updated September 2026

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