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    Mel's Drive-In

    4.0 (977 reviews)
    Closed • 7:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated 1 month ago

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    MEL'S DRIVE-IN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
    Touristy

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    Recommended Reviews - Mel's Drive-In

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    Corn Beef Hash and Eggs
    Ann L.

    Cute corner diner in Santa Monica. Stopped by as I was waiting for my car to be serviced. Each of the tables had their own jukebox. Super cute. The food was your typical diner dishes. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner options all available. Spotted the corn beef hash, which I haven't had in eons. Comes with a side of 2X which I had requested to be done over easy. Everything was perfectly cooked. But have to say the flavor was not what I remembered. I suppose my pallet has changed over the years. Also order their mixed berry pie. This is also decent. Overall, this place was nice. The food and facility was much more tastefully done than Denny's.

    Jordan S.

    Every bit as good as the many other reviews you've read. We stopped here at the end of our Chicago to Santa Monica Route 66 journey and it was even better than we expected. Besides the rewarding feeling of a chocolate malt sitting at the counter, the staff made us feel very welcome and special. They gave us our Certificate of Completion, took photos and otherwise made the conclusion of our journey feel even better than it already did when we pulled into the parking lot. It's clean, well maintained, open, airy, nostalgic and loaded with references to the past and, of course Route 66. We are very grateful to way we were treated and will definitely return when we are back in the area.

    (July 13, 2026) Huge Signage with the Penguin.  (And those folks are European tourists taking pictures of the diner.)
    Andie B.

    I'm an Americana fan, so I was excited to learn that Route 66 turns 100 this year. That's when I discovered that the historic western end of Route 66 is right here in my neck of the woods--Mel's Diner in Santa Monica. I finally visited earlier this week with one of my nieces, who was in town from Kauai. For a Monday evening, I was pleasantly surprised to see the restaurant had a healthy crowd. AMBIANCE This isn't a cozy, homey diner. The concrete floors and walls give it more of an industrial feel. That said, each table has its own jukebox, which instantly gives the place that classic American diner atmosphere. SERVICE Our server reminded me of the old-school diner waitresses from movies set in the 1950s and 1960s--efficient, brisk, and focused on getting the job done. I was curious whether that image reflected reality or was simply a Hollywood stereotype, so I looked it up afterward. It turns out that traditional diner service really was known for being fast, efficient, and no-nonsense: seating customers quickly, taking orders, serving hot food promptly, keeping coffee cups full, collecting payment, and moving on to the next table. Our server was certainly speedy, but he was also more accommodating than those classic diner stereotypes. He pointed out to my niece that ordering fries with her sandwich might be too much since we were already ordered a type of fries as an appetizer. He also patiently answered my questions about the Slow-Braised Short Rib Dinner, which I had my eye on. At the end of our meal, my niece mentioned something about her own experience as a restaurant server. By then, though, he was clearly ready to move on to his next table. Fair enough-- it made the experience feel even more like an old-school diner. Haha! DRINKS One pleasant surprise: they serve Spiked Milkshakes. My niece was thrilled! As for me, I ordered a glass of Chardonnay, and -- it easily held its own against glasses I've paid considerably more at upscale restaurants. APPETIZER Bacon Ranch Cheese Fries -- Need I say more? MAIN COURSES Reuben Sandwich (with colesalw instead of fries, thanks to our server's suggestion). My niece loved it. Slow-Braised Short Rib Dinner -- Absolutely delicious! The meat was incredibly tender. I ordered the demi glace (sauce) on the side because I wasn't familiar with it. I asked our server whether it was sweet, and he said kind of. So I decided to try it separately and requested it on the side. It turned out to be rich, savory, and the perfect complement to the short rib. I'm glad I ordered it that way. I highly recommend the Slow-Braised Short Rib Dinner. DESSERT We skipped dessert because my nieces' spiked milkshake was practically dessert on its own. PARKING The restaurant has its own parking lot immediately next door. I got lucky and found an open space as soon as I drove in--just a few steps from the entrance. It reminded me of those movie scenes where the main character somehow always finds the perfect parking spot right in front of where they're going. BOTTOM LINE Overall, we had a very enjoyable dinner. If you're looking for a classic American diner experience -- especially if you're a Route 66 enthusiast -- Mel's Diner is definitely worth a visit.

    Joe T.

    Had the eggs Benedict and a mimosa. Enjoyed the bfast and the casual atmosphere. The service was a bit slow.

    John P.

    Stopped here to eat a late lunch when we were visiting the end of historic Route 66 (2026 is its 100th birthday). This restaurant is located up a short driving distance from Santa Monica Pier and located on the end of the Route 66 Highway. The restuarant is quite unique inside and out, and they even have an outside tented area so we could eat there with out pup. The menu selection is huge. We tried the chicken noodle soup, turkey dinner and pumpkin pie which were all good and good size in portion. We also had a couple of their vanilla malts which were our highlight along with the very friendly staff. Just the history inside this restaurant makes it a must see if you are a Route 66 buff. Overall, we had a great experience.

    Lights
    Dari P.

    This restaurant is like the ones you would have found in the 50s. They are playing oldies, so I like the music. Prices are really high compared to regular places that you would go, but it has a 50's theme and it's interesting. $58 for 2 burgers, fries, and a soda with tax. Waitress was very busy.

    Something scramble with hashbrowns.
    Dennis H.

    I have been wanting to visit this Mel's Diner ever since it opened a couple of years ago. It worked out as a good friend of mine was working nearby so I drove all the way up from the OC. It brought back great memories of going to the Mel's off Sunset during my college years a LONG TIME AGO. Great service. Got one of their scrambles I forgot which one. Simple black coffee. Great breakfast meal. It's a fun experience. Will probably make this our annual meet up spot. Thank you Mel's

    Entrance
    Huey B.

    Came here while having friend from out of town visiting and we decided coming here based on the cool ambiance and location. Service was top notch and the food was delicious!

    Mel's side lot & handicap entrance.
    Mike W.

    Iconic American diner with good service and tasty diner food. It's like you stepped inside the American Graffiti movie. We stopped in about a half hour before closing, but never felt rushed by Leah, our server. We started with a couple milkshakes: a Vanilla Caramel ($10.25) and a Chocolate Malted ($10.75), both delicious. We also ordered a couple burgers: Melburger ($19.95) and fries, and a Sunset Burger ($24) with onion rings (+$3). The burgers were well-seasoned and very tasty. Fries and onion rings were crispy on the outsides and soft on the insides. Overall, a fun diner with good food and service. We'll definitely be back.

    Enjoying burgers and shakes.
    Timi B.

    We enjoyed a late lunch/early dinner after sightseeing. Delicious food and excellent service provided by Mark. This was our second time here and we will be back!

    Chris B.

    My first time at this place, I had the Mills famous burger with their fries and a Andy Palmer drink. Our server was great. The food was great right on historic route 66. I highly recommend this place. It was my first time it will not be my last time at this place they do offer military discount in the ambience was great. Staff was great. We got our food pretty quick. I would definitely come back to this place.

    Santa Monica location
    Zan L.

    I have been to many other Mel's locations around Los Angeles and in San Francisco, but I would say that this is probably the most famous location given the fact that it sits on the terminus of the original Route 66. Now the end is listed as the start of the Santa Monica Pier, however this was the original end. This location is just like the others, it's a traditional retro diner complete with a large menu and fast service. Inside is very large with counter and booth seating and it's consistently good every time I visit. This location has a large free parking lot attached in the back and on the side so parking is pretty easy. Our server was very polite and everything that we ordered came out very fast. Every time I come here, I get the tuna melt with avocado, which is what I did again for this visit. I did mix it up a bit and got the curled fries and added chili cheese on top and honestly really enjoyed that as well. You can't go wrong with their tuna or patty melt and honestly everything else I have tried here has been really good too. I also often get the club sandwich so can recommend that as a good option as well. Mel's is a great diner option for any age and I plan to be back again in the near future.

    Wrong batter ratio and griddle with burned aftertaste meant that these pancakes were both raw in the middle and had burned flavors
    Ashi F.

    I hate surprise bills! When restaurant owners understand that patrons might be out-of-towners or tourists, and decide to sneak in surprise charges, I find the trend distasteful (pun intended). To note: the ice tea, an item costing pennies to make was $5.50! Again, $5.50 for an ice tea. So when the bill arrived imagine my surprise! Pancakes, the reason for me coming there were burned and had an off putting burned taste. Server replaced them, but the new batch, albeit "blonde" looking, still had burned flavors probably, I'm assuming, because the griddle wasn't cleaned between the burned batch and the new one, and this time the batter was raw in the middle. Retro ambiance was nice and the retro look and music were fun. Do better Mel's!

    Sunset breakfast

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    Mel's Drive-In Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Mel's Drive-In

    Can I order a breakfast menu even after 0pm?

    I have no Idea as to the time you want specifically, but I believe you can order breakfast off the menu all day.

    Is there a drive-through window?

    No, there isn't. It's a sit down restaurant/diner.

    Is there car hop service at this location?

    No. Indoor seating only.

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    Edgemar Restaurant + Lounge - Duck Boa Bun

    Edgemar Restaurant + Lounge

    4.3(218 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    •$$

    The customer service here really sold me. I'd probably give the food a 4.25, but the ambiance and…read morethe servers were truly so attentive and accommodating, this puts Edgemar above a lot of places. We came here for a birthday, plus they're in my red dining book, so I was hoping our little group would pick Edgemar, and thankfully they did! We started with the stracciatella and man, was that dish good. It was one of the two standouts. The bread is delectable and the cheese with the chili was absolutely divine. I actually think this was my very favorite dish. I will be back for this dish alone! We also shared the wontons, butter lettuce gem salad, and wonton spring rolls which were all very solid dishes. Next we had the salmon which was undoubtedly the other stand out dish. It was so good with the miso butter sauce! And the broccolini were cooked perfectly! We finished with the squid ink pasta. The shrimp on top was perfectly cooked and the pasta itself was the perfect texture with a great mouth feel. As mentioned earlier, everyone on the staff truly went above and beyond. We had an issue with our drinks, they made it right right away without any pushback. They made sure that the birthday girl felt extra special. And they even gave us a special treat at the end as well. The interior decorating is absolutely stunning. They've done a great job with furniture selection, and the wood throughout is impressive. I did have to swing around the block to look for parking, it you always have to do that in this part of Santa Monica.

    We had a reservation here for our 10th anniversary. A few days before our reservation, someone…read morereached out to let us know there would be loud music playing and it might not be the best environment for an anniversary dinner. We had been wanting to try this place for a while and couldn't move the date but music was completely fine with us. The music was actually great! It was a private event indoors so we sat outside on the patio. Unfortunately, the food was only ok and the service was not ideal. No one acknowledged our anniversary, throughout the entire evening even though it was in the open table reservation notes. The shrimp and chicken dumplings were amazing. The Hamachi sashimi was very fatty and there was a few pieces we couldn't eat. The fried chicken sandwich was OK although it tasted very simple for $26. At the end of the dinner we got the bill with a 2.5% service fee + 20% auto gratuity for "event". I normally tip this much but I found so I don't mind that it was automatically included, but it was odd we paid an auto 20% gratuity for an event we were not a part of - we weren't even seated inside where the private event was taking place. Unfortunately, the three stars comes down to the fact that even though it was our 10th anniversary, there was no acknowledgment of the special day and the food was sub-par.

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    Edgemar Restaurant + Lounge - Interior

    Interior

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    Shrimp toast

    Edgemar Restaurant + Lounge - Interior

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    The Mulberry - Cheesecake

    The Mulberry

    4.0(139 reviews)
    3.1 mi•Sawtelle

    The moment I stepped into this restaurant, I immediately fell in love with the decor. We went…read morearound sunset, and the golden-hour lighting made the space even more beautiful. I was instantly so glad we chose this spot to celebrate our anniversary because it was the perfect setting for a romantic date night. Now, let's talk about the food! Everything we ordered was delicious, with the exception of the Korean aguachiles, which we probably could've skipped. We also tried the bluefin bibimbap, oysters, and the oh-so-tender short rib that practically melted in our mouths. But the most unforgettable dish was also the simplest: the Korean fried chicken. It wasn't necessarily something out of the ordinary, but it sure tasted like it. The perfect crisp, flavor, and seasoning had us eating every last piece right down to the bone. Our server also made the experience even better. She gave us some of the best recommendations and were incredibly attentive and friendly throughout the entire meal. We absolutely loved this restaurant and are already planning our next visit!

    Tried this place during a recent staycation on Sawtelle. It's a few blocks north of Sawtelle's…read moreepicentre between Olympic and La Grange, in the old Plan Check space on the corner of Nebraska. They opened in November 2025. The Mulberry is a Korean spot, but no tabletop grills. Across the street is another Korean place. Mulberry serves dinner Wed-Sun. The menu is kind of "greatest Korean hits", including a few charcoal grilled items. The drink menu is pretty extensive. It's a smallish space with both indoor and outdoor seating and a darkish, festive atmosphere. Here's what we ordered: 1) Korean aguachile--flounder in a cold kimchi broth that was partially granita-like. Refreshing. 2) Fried chicken wings. Pretty classic. Supposedly half plain and half soy-garlic, but they were pretty similar. A nice sweet chili sauce on the side, along with some pickled daikon and other veggies. I like a sweet glaze directly on my wings, but these had a good crunch. 3) Chilled acorn noodle. With greens, toasted nori and a jammy egg. Cooling, but the greens were a bit harsh for me. 4) Savory egg souffle. Nice but nothing out of the ordinary. 5) Spicy braised black cod. I was worried it would be too spicy but actually was very mild, possibly tomato-based sauce with nicely braised daikon and a side of slightly pickled napa cabbage. 6) Grilled beef short rib. Delish! More like a hangar steak than short rib. Came with a dipping sauce, coarse salt, lemon and a little salad with a pungent dressing. 7) Hotteok a la mode. A caramelized cinnamon "crepe" with toasted seeds and vanilla ice cream. Delish. They also had a strawberry bingsu (Korean dairy-based shaved ice) that sounded good, a collaboration with Korean Ice Co. down the street. Note Mulberry claims it's a no tipping establishment, but adds a 20% "fee" to your bill. Overall a nice meal, on the pricey side. I do think I prefer Japanese food more, but Mulberry is a good introduction to Korean.

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    The Mulberry - Inside

    Inside

    The Mulberry - Salad, had too much white lettuce which was very bitter 7/10

    Salad, had too much white lettuce which was very bitter 7/10

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    Hillstone - Hawaiian Ribeye- such a sweet Teriyaki flavor so good.

    Hillstone

    4.0(1.6k reviews)
    0.8 mi
    •$$$

    Had an early dinner reservation on Sunday night. It's always crowded even at 4:30 so plan on making…read morea reservation. The service was excellent. To drink we tried their version of a martini. I never order martinis, but this one is more of a cocktail and is surprisingly sweet. For an appetizer we tried the cheesy bread. So yummy and the perfect amount to not fill up on bread. For mains, we ordered the classics, Ding's crispy chicken sandwich and the prime rib. Ding's sandwich never misses it's always consistent. The prime rib was tasty, but very salty. The only item I didn't enjoy was the Tabbouleh. It was strange to me it contained corn and chickpea. Hard pass next time. We finished with the key lime pie which is exceptional. Very tangy and it is made fresh daily.

    Ten years after my original review, Hillstone is still remarkably consistent. That's an incredible…read morerun. The restaurant feels pretty much the same because, well, it basically is. Maybe the artwork gets rotated every few years? but otherwise, why fix what isn't broken? The food is as good as ever, and the service remains attentive and polished. There's something reassuring about walking into a restaurant knowing exactly what you're going to get, and having it live up to that expectation, year after year. Prices have certainly gone up over the past several years, but what hasn't? It's not quite the deal it once was, though I've never had a bad meal here. Ten years later, I'm still happy to come back.

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    Hillstone - Inside

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    The Misfit Restaurant + Bar

    The Misfit Restaurant + Bar

    4.2(4.7k reviews)
    0.6 mi
    •$$

    We had a very good experience here! Our waitress was friendly, fast, and gave great…read morerecommendations! We split two appetizers, which was plenty due to the portion size. Drinks were delicious and the vibe was fun!

    I finally made it to The Misfit in Santa Monica, and honestly, the interior is giving major…read moreBalthazar-meets-Parisian-speakeasy energy. It's located in the old Clock Tower building, and the Art Deco decor is absolutely stunning--dark enough to hide a bad day but vibrant enough for a girls' night. The Vibe: It's loud, lively, and perfectly "bohemian chic". If you're coming on a weekend, prepare for a crowd, but it's the good kind of crowded where everyone looks like they just came from a gallery opening. The Food: I'm still thinking about the Crispy Chicken Sandwich--it was juicy, perfectly seasoned, and came with a fennel-apple slaw that actually felt fresh. We also shared the Bacon Wrapped Dates (obviously) and the Hand Cut Kennebec Fries, which arrive in a bowl so huge it could basically be its own zip code. The Drinks: Their Happy Hour is arguably the best in the city. I had the Japanese Dream with matcha, and it was expertly crafted--not too sweet, which is my biggest pet peeve. The "Misfit" Moment: The service can be a tiny bit slow when it's "rammed," and there's a 4% kitchen fee that feels a bit unnecessary, but they make up for it with those complimentary sea salt chocolate chip cookies at the end. They are warm, gooey, and life-changing. One major heads-up: I heard a rumor they might be closing their doors on April 18th due to some landlord drama, so get there while you still can.

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    The Misfit Restaurant + Bar
    The Misfit Restaurant + Bar
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    Massilia

    Massilia

    4.3(1k reviews)
    0.4 mi
    •$$

    When mom is in town, she puts my love of LA restaurants to good use and has me book a trendy place…read morefor her and her sisters. Today, I got to join the fun and enjoy a lovely dinner at Massillia! Surprised the relatives for their 5:30 reservation. I was supposed to stay for just a drink, but I was having such a great time, I had to crash the entire dinner! 5:30 on a Friday night was the perfect time. It was chill and quiet. The restaurant itself is super relaxing and had a nice ambiance. To start, I asked the waitress to bring me a fruity cocktail and what she handed me was delicious. I totally forgot to snag the name, but it was refreshing and yummy. For food, my aunts ordered EVERYTHING! we are a vegetable loving family and definitely got lots of yum yum that reflected that: ratatouille, salad, mushrooms, calamari, mashed potatoes, broccoli, salmon flatbread, and so much more. Everything was so flavorful! I really enjoyed every dish we got! If I had to choose some absolute favorites it would be the salad and the ratatouille! Both were incredible ( along with everything else). Finished the meal off with the pear dessert and a glass of port. Yummy! Great meal with family! I'll happily be back in Massilia to have another lovely dinner.

    Food was alright, the pizza flavor was good but the crust was too hard…read more Ambiance is nice and the shop is a walkable distance to 3rd street promenade.

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    Massilia - Rolling fresh pita bread

    Rolling fresh pita bread

    Massilia - Shrimp Aguachile - Avocado

    Shrimp Aguachile - Avocado

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    Fresh Homemade pasta with Kale and Squash

    Mel's Drive-In - diners - Updated September 2026

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