The Original Mels Diner

We stopped for breakfast during our travels through the area. The diner is right of the highway so easy in and out with plenty of parking. It has a 50’s theme interior, think Mels’ from American Graffiti. We enjoyed our server, very prompt and personable. I had their homemade corned beef - So Good! My husband had the San Francisco Scramble which he enjoyed with their in house potatoes which he raved about. Mes’ was a nice place to stop for breakfast. We would eat here again.

The Original Mel’s Diner is such a gem! Their veggie burger is one of the best I’ve had anywhere, and Joey’s Caramel Monkey Crunch is simply outstanding—sweet, crunchy, and unforgettable. We left with our stomachs full, and honestly, it felt like an all-day meal at such a great price. A big shout-out to Ashley R, who made our visit even better. She was super kind, attentive, and generous with her suggestions, helping us pick the perfect options. Great food, great value, and excellent service—I’ll definitely be coming back whenever I am driving to Tahoe!

Retro diner. I stopped by at 10pm and service was great but obviously high traffic. I kinda dig the 50s Fonz vibe. Right in the heart of downtown. 10/10 highly recommend

I was fooled by the listing on Google Maps calling this the Original Mels Diner--it's the name of the chain, not the original Mel's Drive-In which was actually in San Francisco. I found out there are now 2 Mels (Mel's) chains, and yes the apostrophe is a flag. None the less, we enjoyed our supper here, and appreciated the helpful staff. The retro diner atmosphere was pleasant and well kept up. I had their vegetarian burger, pleasantly evidently of their own making including a honey sauce. Fries were also unique and very good. Shakes were quite expensive, but also quite large--brought to the table in a tall stemmed glass along with the stainless steel mixing tumbler containing the rest of the shake. It was prepared for two, served with double straws and two spoons. Google Maps will n

Chocolate malt was perfect. Garlic fries were not amazing. Very greasy, lots of garlic to see, but they just don't taste like anything. The chicken Parm sandwich was pretty good. Service was great.