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    Mal's Diner

    4.0 (27 reviews)
    ModerateAmerican
    Closed 10:00 am - 9:30 pm

    Mal's Diner Photos

    Business Info

    MAL'S DINER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Burgers
    Zach R.

    I enjoyed Mal's Diner. I drove by it initially, but turned around after seeing the limited choices in town. There was nothing bad about the front, it just wasn't screaming to me while I was passing through the small town of Vale, Oregon. I was glad my mom and I stopped by. I ordered the Calf Fries and my mom ordered the Beef Bites. Neither of us knew what we were getting and it was kind of fun. I ordered the Calf Fries because they were at the top of the menu as a "Local Favorite". I tried one and it tasted like an unusual chewy fried meat. It was salty and tasted fine with the fry sauce, so I finished by basket of Calf Fries and Tater Tots (tater tots were cooked/seasoned perfect). I suspected and confirmed they were Rocky Mountain Oysters - but now I can say I've tried them - and not too bad! ;-) My mom's beef bites were fried beef strips, which were cooked slightly too long and had slightly too much batter. That said, the meat had excellent flavor and was of decent grade for a fried bite-size piece. My mom also ordered a side salad. Typical side green salad, with some ordinary veggies with minimal flavor, but also included canned sliced olives. Tasted fine, was just boring. Food was slightly bland and fried a little too long (only a touch). Staff was average - friendly, but never checked back other than initial order and bringing food (wanted a water refill and hot sauce, but it wasn't a huge deal). Very clean and the paint was in good shape. Well decorated, classic small town diner. I would definitely visit again if passing through town and no new places, but wouldn't go out of my way to visit. I enjoyed my visit to Mal's and would rate it about 3.2/5 overall on a 'true' scale.

    the exterior of the restaurant
    Darlene I.

    Came here for breakfast on the road. Cute motif, very vintage. Ordered chicken fried steak. Supposed to come with sausage gravy, but it was plain white gravy. The steak itself was a bit small and over cooked. The eggs were perfectly cooked to order, and the hash browns were nice and crispy. But the MAIN reason I only gave it two stars was because the biscuit that came with the meal was COLD. Even butter, which we had to ask for, didn't help it. Also service was slow and I was never asked if I wanted a refill on my coffee.

    Dave's Philly & a strawberry shake.
    James S.

    This place saved my life. On my way from Texas to Portland I was fixing to fall off the motorcycle and die. Then like an Oasis of water, AC and shakes this place popped up

    Not sobusy on a gloomy Saturday afternoon.

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    6 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    10 months ago

    Perfect stop on our pass through town! Delightful service and experience. Burgers were tasty, and "bar tender's choice" drink was spot on.

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Great place. Very nostalgic decor. Felt like I'd stepped back in time. The food was terrific & the staff top notch.

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    4 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    9 years ago

    Great food great atmosphere great staff. Thanks for giving us more choices in our small community

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    8 years ago

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    7 years ago

    The best food in town fries and milkshakes are to kill for everything is so delicious there .

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    8 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Mal's Diner

    Review Highlights - Mal's Diner

    I like the 50's diner vibe a lot and enjoyed the small town friendly vibe.

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

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    Cowboy’s Bar and Grill

    Cowboy’s Bar and Grill

    (66 reviews)

    I got there at 3:50 pm. Ten minutes before lunch was over. And during their happy hour (several…read moremeals as well as drinks to choose from). The Sirloin with 2 sides is only around $13 compared with almost double that on the dinner menu. Good specials on drinks too. Summer took great care of me. She's excellent. Even though baked potatoes aren't supposed to be ready that early she got me one. I got the lunch rib plate, which is a huge beef rib (although a little smaller than it used to be). It was mostly meat and not much fat. Way too much for me to eat, it provided lunch the next day as well. I brought home a burger to my wife, which was also cooked perfectly. It's a fun old-fashioned place to go to. Lots of animal heads on the walls and cowboy type things. This is in the old Sizzler right off the freeway and just into Oregon. They are owned by the same people as Indian Creek steak in Caldwell. Happy hour and lunch prices are very good, dinner prices can easily be $50 or more. their happy hour runs until 6 o'clock every day, which is great.

    Menu prices for lunch are the same for dinner - HIGH. $50 for a steak? Eek…read more I went for a quick lunch but the menu was so limited that that alone was a disappointment. I just can't justify spending the money on a previous Sizzler environment. It's not fit for a "quick lunch" type of place. My opinion is that it just feels like they're struggling so they need to charge high to cover losses. I'd suggest building more menu items, at smaller portions to suit more palates and needs. Like maybe lunch specials. I know prices everywhere are just high in general, and eating out nowadays is a luxury, and I totally get they need to cover their costs as well, but sometimes you're willing to spend it when the environment is lovely and the food is great. This restaurant was not a place that I was pleased in spending this much for lunch. Most reasonable priced item was a nearly $20 burger that was definitely not worth the money. The fries are fresh cut but are just not great - flimsy fries do not excite me. The lunch menu selection in general is dismal. I just kept looking at the menu, hoping something would entice me but it's really just a steak or a burger option. Or chicken strips. Not many options, not many price points. The interior is a little sad too. It just doesn't feel like a nice place. I pulled up and assumed they were closed. The door that faces where you pull up is a closed side door, so you gotta walk around a smidge. Just wasn't inviting. The service was excellent and friendly and attentive. The servers and service are keeping it all together for sure.

    Mal's Diner - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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