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    The Original Mels

    3.9 (248 reviews)
    Open 6:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Order The Original Mels Takeout or Delivery

    The Original Mels Photos

    Business Info

    THE ORIGINAL MELS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - The Original Mels

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    Inside
    Loredo L.

    I came here craving corned beef hash and eggs. I've been to other Mel's diners and this one seemed newer but with the same theme and decor. The service was very friendly. The corned beef hash was possibly different than what I remembered but still tasted great. I look forward to coming back and getting pancakes.

    Front
    John F.

    I was feeling nostalgic for Mel's and how it used to be when I tried it as a kid. Nowadays, it didn't taste as fresh as I remembered. Maybe everything just tasted better when we were kids? Although the food was so-so, the service was pleasant and quick! I would come back just for the great service. I ordered the chicken fried steak with eggs over easy and hash browns, which came with a side of buttered toast of your choice. The ambiance of the restaurant takes you back, with that old school diner vibe that feels familiar and comforting. Overall service was great with ok food.

    Theodore W.

    We have visited several different Mels Diner locations over the years from Lombard Street in San Francisco to Roseville Douglas Blvd to Rocklin Lonetree. The Folsom location is BY FAR the BEST quality food, the CLEANEST, and the BEST customer service.

    Toast
    Monisha M.

    Mel has the your basic diner vibes. The food was okay and the customer service was good. They do have great milkshakes and fries .

    Philly cheese
    John D.

    Can't go wrong with a Philly cheese from Mel's. Super cheesy sandwich. Good service open late is a plus for a late night mission

    Side salad

    Just left Mel's diner with a happy & full belly! From the moment we walked in everyone was friendly! My friend and I were very impressed how clean the place was! I ordered the Philadelphia Cheese steak and will say it was one of the best I've had in California! My friend ordered the French dip and enjoyed that too! My only complaint was I had no room for a hot fudge sundae! Looking forward to returning!

    Mels Original Cheese Steak Sandwich
    Myla A.

    All the employees were all very friendly, with excellent service. The food came out fast and fresh. The sampler I had was delicious, crunchy, light, delicious, and not heavy nor greasy. My wife had the cheese steak she liked it but it definitely needed cheese sauce. We are definitely coming back to try other food items. Inside was inviting, clean, so many things to look at.

    Milk Shake or Malt
    Kayla S.

    Mel's Diner always delivers! I ordered DoorDash and my order arrived in under 30 minutes. The Mel burger was cooked perfectly (slightly pink), with a soft, buttery bun and fresh produce. The Mel fries had the right balance of softness and crunch, still hot from the fryer. The banana milkshake was delicious and generously filled. Highly impressed with the quality and portion sizes!

    Kids meal (burger & fries)
    Mel J.

    Our family visited here around 10am on Sunday. The restaurant was starting to get crowded but we managed to get a table. We had to wait for awhile for a waitress to put our order but the food came out relatively fast (around 15 mins). - kids meal - burger with fries and oreo: my kid liked it and finished all the burger and fries. I tried a bite of the burger and it tasted good. The fries were crispy and well seasoned. - chorizo skillet: the portion was smaller than I expected. The flavor was on point but I wish they put more chorizos. The hash brown was tasty & crispy. The sunny side up eggs were cooked perfectly. We had good experience and good food. We would come back to try different menu. Tips: do come early for breakfast as there was a line when we left the restaurant around 11am.

    Fried chicken dinner with mashed potatoes, veggies, cornbread and salad.

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    3 years ago

    Fun retro decor, good food, generous portions, good service, fair prices, clean, and friendly. What more can you ask for?

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    3 years ago

    Nice cozy place to sit, relax and have some nice coffee and breakfast. Service is great. Enough trips from the servers for coffee refills.

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    3 years ago

    Solid diner, good food, reasonable prices. Service nice without a lot of interruptions.

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    6 years ago

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    3 years ago

    This was a cool cozy place super retro. Food was pretty good and the staff were nice. Food came quickly.

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    3 years ago

    The place is terribly cold, the air conditioning makes it feel like a snowstorm, make sure to bring a jacket when you come here.

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    4 years ago

    Great grilled cheese, salads and shakes! What a fun place!

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    3 years ago

    Outstanding service and outstanding food! We will definitely return! Best burger in the Folsom area.

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    4 years ago

    Food was yummy, but the best part was our server Joey. She was so funny and engaging! It was a great experience!

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    3 years ago

    We've been to Mel's many times. All the waitresses are good. Joey is our favorite. Food is good.

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    Page 2 of 7

    The Original Mels Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Original Mels

    Chant’el Cafe

    Chant’el Cafe

    4.5
    (295 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$

    Before you come here, make sure your phone is charged because you'll want to take plenty of pics in…read morethe gorgeous rooms in this cafe! I liked my lavender iced latte and like the fact that they serve it in a large mug if you plan to drink it at the cafe, it had that extra, comforting touch that I love when hanging at a coffee shop. The room we sat in had a beautiful cherry tree draped in cherry blossoms as well as a cute neon sign, perfect for pics, as well as comfy chairs, a love seat and a table as well as a large window that brought in plenty of sunlight. There's another room on the left side of the cafe but I didn't have a chance to check it out since we left to get lunch at Belly. According to my friend, the room is gorgeous as well; I'll have to check it out next time I visit. They had a lot of scrumptious-looking dessert but they were a little out of my budget. They're beautiful though, and I'd try one for a special occasion (the coffee bean dessert cost $20). The cashier (owner, I'm guessing?) was welcoming and helpful when I said it was my 1st time there and pointed out a list of specials. I'll have to try the cherry blossom and banana drinks in the future! They have private shared parking with a bunch of other businesses; I found a spot easily on a recent Saturday morning. Thank you!

    The idea & the decor of the place is amazing! It is a piece of Parisian heaven a piece of which was…read moremoved to Folsom. If you are looking for wonderful pictures, wonderful ambience, then this place is totally worth the visit. However if you are looking to eat delicious food, then this place is definitely not it. Their crepes are premade and after visiting them 2 times, the only thing I think they are doing is reheating and serving them. First time we went in, we ordered the Ricotta Crepes. These came in looking beautiful but they were extremely hot on one side and cold (almost from a refrigerator) on other side. Clearly precooked & refrigerated but then microwaved and the whipped cream and fruit compote was added on top. Next time, the same crepe was at least warm overall but the chicken mushroom crepe definitely was reheated in a pan. Coffees are pretty basic as well. But you overall pay a premium for the nice decor. I feel that some other places such as Julian's in Folsom and CT In Cameron Park were much better taste wise and if not for just the decor and ambiance I'd totally avoid this place.

    Photos
    Beautiful location and very clean!
    Beautiful location and very clean!
    Apricot Vegan Pie
    Apricot Vegan Pie
    Pistachio Latte

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    Pistachio Latte
    Iron Horse Tavern

    Iron Horse Tavern

    3.9
    (588 reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $$

    We came in for a casual date night and had a great time! Prime time (6 on a Friday) the wait was…read moreonly about 15-20 minutes with plenty of room at the bar. There was plenty of seating on the shady patio, but it was really hot outside, so we opted to wait for a table inside. We had a drink and watched the NBA finals on the TVs (there was no sound so it wasn't noisy). I tried the Mustang Sally cocktail and it was well balanced and delicious! We were seated for dinner pretty quickly. The only problem I had was deciding what to order. The luau shrimp salad? Meatball sub? I finally decided on the lobster mac and cheese. While the portion wasn't large, it was delicious! Creamy and mild with fresh lobster (not fishy) and garlicy breadcrumbs. My husband got the ribeye and was thin but large with great seasoning and veggies. I'm not a big steak fan but I really liked it. We ended up grabbing some beignets to go for the kids, which were really tasty and came with 3 dipping sauces (our favorite was the Berry, although we ended up eating most of them without sauce). The atmosphere was upscale, but very casual, quiet and fun. We saw families with young children, couples on dates, and friends enjoying a meal together. It was the perfect vibe that we were looking for, comfortable, but classy. And the food was high-quality and tasty. We will definitely be back!

    My wife and I visited yesterday to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Unfortunately, the experience…read moregot off to a disappointing start. Upon entering, the hostess with the brown curly hair was noticeably rude and unwelcoming, which isn't the first impression you'd hope for when celebrating a special occasion. The food, however, was outstanding and was definitely the highlight of the evening. Every dish we ordered was well-prepared and delicious. Service was a mixed experience. While our server was polite, the service was quite slow throughout the meal, despite the restaurant being fairly empty at the time. Overall, the excellent food helped make up for some of the service issues, but the rude greeting and slow service took away from what should have been a memorable anniversary dinner. I hope management addresses these concerns, as the kitchen is clearly doing a great job.

    Photos
    Roomy and mysterious looking haha
    Roomy and mysterious looking haha
    Beef Shortrib Stroganoff
mushroom and spinach, pappardelle, house gravy,
parmesan cheese
    Beef Shortrib Stroganoff mushroom and spinach, pappardelle, house gravy, parmesan cheese
    Iron Horse Tavern

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    Mimosa House

    Mimosa House

    3.3
    (86 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    Locally owned & operated
    Free parking

    Let's talk about Mimosa House!…read more From beginning to end, the experience was wonderful. Ryan, our server, was fantastic. He was friendly, knowledgeable, attentive, and had the perfect personality for the atmosphere. Great service can truly elevate a dining experience, and Ryan did exactly that. The food was delicious. I ordered the fish and chips, and the fish was exceptional. The batter was light, crispy, and perfectly seasoned--honestly, I enjoyed it even more than traditional beer-battered fish. The fish itself was flaky and cooked just right. As for the fries, I'm personally a steak-fry enthusiast, so shoestring fries aren't usually my favorite. It would have been nice to have an option to choose between fry styles, but that's me. I also ordered a chocolate martini, which was absolutely delicious. The owner personally prepared it, and it was rich, smooth, and hit the spot . Between the cute ambiance, excellent service, and tasty food, Mimosa House made for a great dining experience. We'll definitely be back!

    If you're looking for slow service and cold food, this is the place for you. We had a terrible…read moreexperience. Our waitress disappeared multiple times and barely checked on us, and the food took so long that we honestly wondered if our order had been forgotten. There were only a handful of other tables in the restaurant around noon on Friday, 7/17, so the lack of service was surprising. By the time our food arrived, it was lukewarm like it had been maybe sitting out I don't know, and our server was nowhere to be found to fix it. Since we had to get back to work, we couldn't wait any longer. Disappointing experience overall--I wouldn't recommend this place.

    Photos
    Decor
    Decor
    Our Skillets
    Our Skillets
    French Toast

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    French Toast
    Mimi's Cafe

    Mimi's Cafe

    3.3
    (531 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$

    fantastic brunch place! they have really great French recipes and the decorations are very cute and…read moreFrench, great place to take a date or your mom on mother's day Their staff were super attentive and helpful too. never had to chase anyone down to get anything and their prices are reasonable too!

    It's been so long since I've gone to a Mimi's Cafe. It was a cold, foggy day and I somehow didn't…read moreget enough cheese over the holidays, so I dropped in for a solo lunch. Enjoyed a cup of the French onion soup and the five way grilled cheese sandwich with some freshly brewed iced tea. I'd almost forgotten how charming Mimi's is, both inside and out. It's decorated like a little (big!) French cafe ~ adorable. While they weren't particularly busy, the server apologized for the delay in getting over to my table to take my order. No worries since I wasn't in a hurry. The tea was fresh and tasty and my request for simple syrup was met without a blink of an eye. Unfortunately, it seems my order might have sat around for a while since the sandwich was almost cold by the time it reached me (not exactly what you want with a grilled cheese). But it was still delicious. As was the French onion soup, albeit a touch on the too-salty side for my taste ~ and I really like salt! Overall, I'd give this particular visit 3.5 stars but will round up for good measure and the friendly service.

    Photos
    Such a charming interior
    Such a charming interior
    Mimi's Griddlecake
    Mimi's Griddlecake
    Chorizo & Egg Tacos

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    Chorizo & Egg Tacos
    Julian's Patisserie and Cafe

    Julian's Patisserie and Cafe

    4.6
    (958 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    Julian's was such a pleasant surprise. We stopped in for breakfast and ordered the breakfast wrap,…read morebacon, egg & cheese croissant, Nutella crepe, and avocado toast. The service was fantastic from start to finish. We had the chance to chat with Julian himself along with a couple other staff members, and everyone was incredibly kind, welcoming, and helpful. The stars of the meal were definitely the breakfast wrap and the bacon, egg & cheese croissant. The breakfast wrap had the perfect balance of scrambled eggs, bacon, seasoned potatoes, avocado, and cheddar cheese. Everything worked together without any one ingredient overpowering the others, and the salsa on the side was a great addition. Honestly, it's one of the best breakfast burritos/wraps I've had. And the croissant... wow. It was absolutely delicious. The eggs were perfectly cooked, the croissant was light, flaky, and buttery, and every bite was packed with flavor. The Nutella crepe was also very good. The crepe itself was perfectly made, though there was a little more Nutella than I personally prefer. Next time I'll probably ask for less, but that's purely a matter of taste. The avocado toast was the only item that didn't quite hit the mark for me. It was good, but the honey flavor dominated the dish and drowned out some of the other ingredients. I'd love to taste a little more balance there. Overall, the food, atmosphere, and genuine hospitality made for a great breakfast. We'll definitely be back, and I'll be dreaming about that croissant until then.

    Great food and service What more could I want?…read moreTheir crepes are all good and they do a great salad

    Photos
    Inside signage
    Inside signage
    Red Velvet Cake
    Red Velvet Cake
    Chocolate Croissant

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    Chocolate Croissant

    The Original Mels - diners - Updated July 2026

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