Don't let the new upscale decor fool you. All it means is an excuse to over bill for the same diner quality food. I love the old Mel's, and some of the old favorites are here if you're craving them. Same quality, just a higher price and a whole lot less charm. Also, stick to their (very) limited tap list. Make the mistake of ordering anything other than a well whiskey and you'll get charged an absurd mark up of $18 (!!!) regardless of whether you're ordering Makers Mark or Blanton's. read more

Great food and great service. Our group had the New York steak, steak and eggs, and breakfast burrito. The New York Strip was cooked to the right medium rare. Our server made us feel extremely welcome. read more

I miss the old Mel's Diner!! Went to lunch at Mel's Kitchen today and was really disappointed in the food. I got a chicken ceasar salad, and the grilled chicken was rubbery, burned in places, and underseasoned. Salad had very little dressing and some of the romaine had old brown spots. It was not pleasant. How hard is it to make a decent chicken ceasar?? Certainly for $16 I expect a lot better. The wait staff never stopped by to ask how the meal was so I wasn't even given a chance to let them fix it. My hubs got a grilled chicken sandwich which was fine, a little bland and the bread was dry. The fries, thankfully, were good. So sad, I really loved the old Mel's and was excited to give this place a shot. It seems like they just jacked up the prices and really downgraded the quality. read more

Decent breakfast and lunch menu. It's distinguishing itself from the old Mel's. New and improved dining area. The booth seats are very cozy feeling, a big plus for me. Ordered the chicken and waffles, breakfast burrito, French toast, and Bloody Mary. Can't complain about any dish. Decently portioned and a good experience. Price point is a little on the higher end but food won't disappoint. Love the chicken and waffles as it's my go to staple in rating if brunch is good. Servers were nice and friendly. Came in hungry came out satisfied. read more

I have been pleasantly surprised about the redux of Mel's. The new menu is more interesting and the cooking is a lot better! I've eaten here frequently since the renovation. I've had breakfast and lunch. The food is good! And there are cocktails! The manager and waitstaff couldn't be nicer and the whole place is comfortable and sparkling clean. There is a lunch special right now of a burger, fries and a coke for $10. Good burger with excellent fries. If you thought, like me, that the old Mel's was just okay, give it another try! read more

Some sort of weird, twisted double universe... I'm sorry, but I can't let these gushing reviews stand unchallenged. It's difficult to believe the people are talking about the same eatery. First of all, the remodel is completely Budget Inn style. It's dark (really, dark) with fake brown wooden paneling. There are booths now and some wooden tables. When we were sitting there, it felt like a cafeteria trying OH-SO-HARD to be something more stylish and elegant. It wasn't. Confession : we are fans of Mel's and frequent all their city locations. We asked why the change was made and our hapless server said they had no choice; it was either blandify or they'd lose their lease. It seems Marriott bought The Opal Motor Lodge next door and wanted something equally uninspiring in which to force their guest to dine. I can only imagine the poor greyish person who missed the true intent of the former Mel's brand and opted for the cold, soul-wringing mess they have now. The wonderful jam-packed (pun intended) menu with so many great items has transmogrified into a single laminated front-to-back list. I particularly mourn the loss of the chili-burger. My husband says that, fortunately, the milkshake is the same, so that's a good thing. I had three eggs, bacon (an add on), hashbrowns with a fibreglass insulation texture, toast (amazingly, another add on), and ice tea , not in one of their legendary perfect-for-ice-tea glasses but a demi-glass where any ice tea drinker will have the wait-person running for refills. And their only artificial sweetener is Stevia, though I'm sure they must have real sugar. Now it's like a dark brown, lightless, soulless Denny's, now with booze. Service was OK, and our waiter was more than friendly and helpful, but there was only one other two-top in the place besides us and it took a long time to get our food, which was a bit more expensive than before. We could see what the dolts at the Marriott Con-Huge-Co were going for, but, if they were aiming for SF chic (or even NY chic), they ended up with Moose Point, Alaska dreary. Mel's Kitchen will do fine--they've got their captive hotel hordes, plus the unsuspecting masses when the hospital and medical building open in a few months. I used to say I have never had a bad meal at Mel's. Can't say that anymore. We have to wonder, we're the 5 star reviews paid? read more

Once again probably the third time ever, I'm giving a 5-star review! And that was mostly because of Primo. That's his name. Primo. The guy is experienced, efficient, and professional I walked in on a Thursday morning somewhere before 7 a.m. I'm glad there weren't too many people in the place because I would have felt funny about ordering a beer at that time. However, I'd just gotten off of work, found an open restaurant, and bellied up to the counter. It was unexpected, but noticed they had 4 beers on tap. It was just what I needed. I also needed the bathroom which I must say was spotless and lovely. I ordered a cup of the chicken soup and was also pleased. The presentation was colorful and most importantly it was not salty. You could also tell that they'd deboned the chicken themselves. So all around my visit had everything going for it. A nice cold beer, a nice clean bathroom, a hearty chicken soup, an experienced waiter who also took the time to converse with me, and to top it off I didn't feel like I was overcharged. I remember when this place used to be an original Mel's diner. I'm happy to say the experience was better then any Mel's diner I've ever been in Say hi to Primo for me! read more

We stayed at The Opal and the restaurant is right in the hotel. Very convenient if you're staying at the hotel. The service is great, everyone's really friendly and helpful. The food was okay. We ate avocado toast with poached egg, wish the egg was a little more "runny". We also had steak and eggs, the steak tasted good but a little chewy. read more

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We came here for Breakfast. When I received my order my so called home fries were not cooked properly. They were not crispy at all. Half cooked...almost cold. My toast was ice cold. Seems like that should have been about the last thing they put on the plate. My friend ordered the same breakfast but chose hash browns that weren't even edible. They were cold in the middle!!! $3.50 up charge on Chicken Apple Sausage. The entire breakfast was a joke. We ate what was edible on our plates. We should have went to Mel's on 4th and Mission instead! read more

Mel's Kitchen - Undercooked Hash browns!!! - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I used to come to the old Mel's Drive-In all the time for late night food and friendly servers. The staff continues to be nice, and the decor is nicely updated. But unfortunately, I did not find the food to be particularly good on this first visit since the opening of the new Mel's Kitchen, and it is not cheap. Not terrible, but not worth the time it takes to get there from my place in the mission. I think a lot of businesses on Van Ness have suffered due to the construction on the street. The AMC Van Ness 14 closed partly for that reason. With fewer people walking around, much of the parking gone, and bus service still slow, the blocks near Mel's are just not a great location right now. So they have cut back their hours and are now closed at 8pm Sunday through Thursday, and at 10pm on Friday and Saturday. Perhaps a sign of what SF has become. This place was once hopping with late night diners. What happened? I think maybe the owners need to reassess where this is going. The movie theater is supposed to reopen next year, which combined with the staff and visitors at the new hospital across the street should provide a flow of people looking for good food. This corridor deserves a nice diner that is open late. If they work on the quality of the food, maybe one day Mel's will be it! read more

Thought we would try this restuarant or Tommy's. Tommy's is good but wasn't that pleasing at the moment so Mels was the choice. We had our taste buds humming! Great food and staff! Thumbs up to the meat loaf, fried chicken and wings. read more

Last time I went here was Christmas Eve when nothing else was opened. After the recent remodeling, the prices have gone up. On top of that you have the added 6% "Healthy San Francisco" tax surcharge. Now it's just called an "SF Mandate". Whatever it's called, this 6% tax is on top of the 20% I normally like to leave as a tip. 26% for a service charge is unacceptable. I spent about $50 total for some scrambled eggs and spaghetti and meatballs for the wife and I. If you have an expense account and are staying at the Holiday Inn next door, it's not a bad choice. I mean, you won't get sick if you eat here. It's just not a great choice either. Not only is it too expensive, both dishes we had were too salty. Also, one of the waiters was wearing about five times the amount of cologne which any normal person would apply. A nose-full of Axe Body Spray while I was eating was really unpleasant. Save it for picking up girls at the bar, man! It doesn't belong in a restaurant where the customers can't escape from it. It got to be so distracting I was looking forward to the door opening so I could get a breath of fresh air. To sum it up, I had three complaints here: too expensive, too salty and too much cologne. Three strikes, you're outta' here! Next time I'll try Tommy's Joint across the street. read more

I would typically not leave a bad review, and without putting any blame on anyone who is associated with this dining, I would recommend not visiting this place if you can, and for the value you pay for it. Without getting into unpleasant and concerning (this is the kindest word I can use) details, which come from your first point of contact to the condition of the dishes and utensils (this is my second time being at this place by the nature of circumstances), to the quality of food, I would suggest going to another place. For food rating both times, I would give it 2.5-3 stars, so it is definitely way too expensive for the prices this place offers. Very sorry to leave this review. It is fair for customers, however, and out of respect to your customers. read more

With a mid-century modern MadMen meets diner decor upgrade, Mel's Kitchen is fresh and groovin. Luis was a fun, friendly and helpful waiter. While a bit more pricey, the food here is still decadent diner delicious and worth it. (The burger special is affordable.) I ordered my usual Patty Melt and a vanilla milkshake and it did not disappoint. And they serve my favorite skinny french fries - yum! Needless to say, my diet starts mañana! read more

Place deserve a 0 , shit service , nasty bland food , and inattentive waiter that didn't even offer water we had to ask for it and also ask for refills . We waited 17 min for him to come bring us a box to go , never came so I had to get up and ask the cook ! read more

Creole Fried Chicken Sandwich- It's a must get here at Mel's!!! Staying at the Marriott for a few days and I love how easily accessible Mel's Kitchen is from the hotel! When you're in the area make sure you stop by a try one of these world famous chicken sandwiches! The management does a good job running the place! Couldn't be more happy with my food & service! read more

I came in wanting to try out this "impossible" burger and thank god the waiter Luis persuaded me to just go for the steak and eggs. I think I found my new go to lunch spot! He's definitely worth coming back for :) read more

Food is pretty good, but the lady who runs the staff is always a bit curt and it comes off as rude. Only thing I can think is that she has to deal with crackheads all day so doesn't have any patience. read more

First of all, even though "Mels" is in the name, it has absolutely no relationship to the "Mels Diner" I have loved. The menu, atmosphere, and the prices have nothing to do with the old Mels, so don't be fooled. I'm not sure why they would even come up with this name for a totally different restaurant. I had the "Impossible Burger" which, after trying to eat it, I think is a burger that is supposed to look and taste like meat, but for vegetarians. I don't like the taste of meat (which is why I am a vegetarian), so I thought this burger was horrible and really could not eat hardly any of it. It had a weird taste and texture that actually was pretty disgusting. Furthermore, they provide about a tablespoon of ketchup for burger and fries, and offered no mustard. The worst part is, without a tip, this burger, the fries, and a coke was $24!! With a tip, you are looking at about $28 for a burger and fries and a drink for lunch. Even if this was the best hamburger in the world, this is a ridiculous cost. This will certainly be my only time in this restaurant. The only positive comment is that the service was excellent. read more

We had a perfect breakfast and dinner here. Good service and nice people. Great start of the day! Recommended! read more

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The restaurant cancelled some dishes on the menu, but not on the website. Prizes were quite high and in addition my chicken was spiced very well, but was little raw. However, the restaurant decoration is very fancy, elegant and modern. read more

Great breakfast, very accommodating to match our diet requests. Super friendly waitress, great personality, made us feel "at home". Steve's omelet was packed and very very tasty. Great "wake up" music to get our day going! read more

Great service, chill atmosphere but clean! Great sliders and fries:) Connected to a great Marriott read more

Thought I'd give the updated version of Mel's a try, and it did not disappoint! Friendly service - Primo was great and I was very impressed with the Cubano. Atmosphere is very modern (I appreciate the environmentally-conscious compostable straw integration), but they kept a few Mel's classics like the milkshakes, which I loved. I asked to look at the breakfast menu and am definitely coming back to try the banana mocha French toast! read more

Mel's Kitchen - The Cubano - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great place to get a wonderful breakfast. From pancakes, to benedict, to chicken and waffles, to avocado toast, and more, Mel's has a diverse selection and something for every palate. The atmosphere is pleasant, 50's tunes are the staple background music. The staff is very friendly and accommodating to special requests. Also they make a wonderful latte. read more

This is very nice diner here and good service . The food is very good.i hope I could have food here with my friends. read more

Mel's Kitchen - Steak with good beer - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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My mother and I have been going to this restaurant since I was a child. Its the first time we've been here since they've remodeled. They have a great selection of drinks and a wonderful cocktail menu. Lorenzo our server was attentive, and helpful on all fronts and a pleasure to chat with. Cant wait to come back and try to Chicken & Waffles. A great place to stop in for brunch or dinner. read more

Mel's kitchen was absolutely amazing! We walked in the door, were immediately seated and asked our drink choices, and had them in less than 2 minutes. We were already ready to order by then, placed our orders, and had our food on our table in less than 6 minutes. The quality was amazing, the service was absolutely outstanding, and our server Primo, never had a smile leave his face for a second. Very friendly environment, great service and great food. An absolute reccomend from me :) read more

This restaurant is attached to the hotel I stayed at while my husband was in the hospital across the street. I ate most exclusively here at Mel's...breakfast, lunch and dinner. My food was ready in no more than 15 minutes. I had many of the items on the menu and was pleased every time. Excellent salmon meal, excellent tomato soup, excellent meatloaf meal. Even the veggies were done to perfection. One night there was only one waiter but even then he had great hustle and gave me good service. read more

I remember coming here when it was still Mel's Drive in. It's changed a lot now. But I like the change. The service there is great. All the servers and the host were very friendly and attentive. Our main server was very funny, too. We liked the food we had, chicken noodle soup and pumpkin pie. The soup was warm and tasty. The pie was just right, with ice cream. read more

I love this place. Obsessed with their chicken soup. My boyfriend and I stayed at the hotel upstairs and had the best time hanging here, it's low key and the service is so nice and easy. read more

They've renovated recently and lots of items went off menu. Waiter suggested apple pie as dessert and it took 40 minutes for him to come back and say they ran out. Pretty disappointing for the price. read more

Enjoyed the Mels Kitchen during my 4 day stay at Marriotts Courtyard. Tonight was the grilled cheese with short rib and tomato soup side. It couldn't have been better! Highly recommend! read more

Came to Mels this morning and was immediately greeted with a smiling welcoming face! Delma was so nice and attentive, service like this is hard to find these days!! The atmosphere felt local and friendly. The food was great! I had the avocado toast with a perfectly pouched egg. The Roots juice tasted fresh and was delicious! I would highly recommend this spot! Cant wait to come back again! read more

The food was fine, but the service was terrible. Our server spent all his time chatting with his co-workers, so we had to wave and chase him down for a water refill and to get our check. read more

I'd only had 1 previous good experience with this Chain. Tried the 'New' menu look & style 2day, 6/12/19. Ordered coffee, came only with cold milk on side, where are sweetener options? Asked for sugar substitute & waited 10 mins b4 I went & took a caddy from a table not in use! 1 slice of toast,cold, the butter never melted in. The Denver omelette was ok, but needed cheese to hold the ingredients, the fried potatoes were nice, the side of bacon was the Best Part! A $50 breakfast, should have gone to IHOP!! read more

This place is absolutely delish. The folks here are extremely friendly and seem happy to work here which I feel like is getting rare for most places like this. Food hit the spot every time for my wife and I. We were here is San Fran for our honeymoon and loved having brunch at this very clean, delish place. Highly recommend. read more

Great food, friendly service, and extremely nice dining area and restrooms. Much quieter atmosphere than most places in the area. Try the chicken and waffles. read more

Great tasty burgers, server with fresh salad. Quick service in a cozy atmosphere. Strongly reccomended.

Very good restaurant for breakfast and lunch. Very good located, great deals. I love the Elvis breakfast and the fruits with granola. The price was also good and the service. I ended up having breakfast 3 days in a row and also lunch. read more