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    Mel's Diner

    3.2 (58 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Mel's Diner Photos

    Business Info

    MEL'S DINER ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Mel's Diner

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    Alison M.

    I came to Kitchener to meet a friend visiting from out of the country but where to go and what was nearby. Mel's Diner - perfect! Friendly attentive waitress and OMG crazy good burgers and rings. I did find the price was on the rich side. Two burgers with rings, a Pepsi and a milk with tip just shy of $60. Not looking the the cost the overall experience was a good one. For sure the cost would keep it from being a regular haunt if I were local.

    the interior of a diner
    Aswin V.

    Good breakfast at a decent price. Their breakfast potatoes are tasty and the coffee does the job it's intended to do! The amount of food is borderline heavy. Not sure what sausages they serve; those could have been better. I like the old school charm of the diner, and the servers wearing dresses to suit the style.

    a paper bag with a drawing on it
    Ann C.

    We are in the midst of the Covid-19 quarantine. This afternoon my husband, daughter and I were in the mood for milkshakes. We ordered them from Mel's because their's are always great. They came within 15 minutes and were delicious as usual, but the really lovely surprise was the how the cups and bags were decorated by the staff! The extra, personal touch really made us smile. (And don't we all need to smile these days!). Thank you Mel's Diner!!

    Storefront on Opening Day.... Great to See that Mel's Diner sign lit up!
    Vincent P.

    The Legend is Back! After a tragic fire destroyed the original Mel's Diner by the University of Waterloo, the new location is now open at Westmount and Ottawa. A number of my favourite Mel's dishes are back, including The Skillet and The Hungry Mel for breakfast (I changed my order many times before I made my final selection)... The food tastes great (like it did before), and the service was fast (even as the "Open" sign was switched on at 6 am on Opening Day) both of which made Mel's a destination for young and old. The new location is fabulous and really manages to capture the look and feel of the previous location, as well as the nostalgic nature of the diner concept, right down to the old-fashioned jukebox at the end of the restaurant (former patrons of the Campus Court Mel's Diner will note the return of James Dean and Marlon Brando in posters on the back wall). We've missed you, Mel's Diner, you were there back in the day when I went to University and we would have all-night study sessions, when I was working all night until the break of dawn for start-up companies, and even later as I met with friends for breakfast before heading out for the day. As Mel's Diner starts its new chapter, it is good to see that the old traditions still continue... By the way, there is a breakfast special (2 eggs, bacon or sausage, homefries and toast for $3.99 before 11 am and $4.99 after 11 am) that's not on the menu, it's a great deal!

    Fried chicken and waffle Benedict, waffle was ok, not enough hollandais sauce
    Christina C.

    The quality of the food seems to have been decreasing over time. With so many new restaurants opening in the near area, the diner is less and less attractive. I do believe that they're over charging for the amount of food served, will probably still come back sometimes for the eggs Benedict, but probably will not be trying anything else on the menu.

    Morning flower at Mel's Diner
    Brad R.

    It was nice watching the sun rise above the trees while I sipped on my coffee. It made me think about how my parents must have done so in a diner like this back in the 50's. I was served by a very attentive and pleasant waitress named Sherry who tended to me with a great personality that would have fit in back in the day just right! The food is good, coffee medium strength and they give you a Dubble Bubble (classic) gum with the bill which is always a nice touch in a diner. All and all, I'd recommend those who are looking either for a blast from the past or to see what things were in a simpler time (apart from wanting great food of course).

    Apple cinnamon waffle
    Melanie J.

    My first ever visit to Mel's diner today and the visit was better than expected. We were in time for breakfast so we both got the breakfast special for about $5 each which comes with eggs,hash browns, toast and bacon/sausage or ham. Nothing to special about it, but their apple cinnamon waffle is to die for, had a major waffle craving and it fixed me right up !

    Inside of restaurant

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    9 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    14 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    14 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Went there for breakfast. Its not cheap but has good variety. Good 50's ambience. Good hospitable service. Recommended.

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    11 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    9 years ago

    Food is okay but some of the waitresses were rude to the hostess and it broke my heart! for that reason i would never go back!

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    10 years ago

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    14 years ago

    Pretty great place. Had a great time and good food. Love the 50's theme.

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    12 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    13 years ago

    great late night meal joint

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    Page 2 of 2

    Review Highlights - Mel's Diner

    I always get the Hungry Mel from the all-day breakfast menu.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    The Yeti - Cold smoke salmon Benedict

    The Yeti

    4.4(59 reviews)
    3.4 km
    $$

    Wow. What a great way place…read more Down to earth, eclectic, great food and truly a great dining experience. Wouldn't change a thing. Love the cozy feeling, the sixties tables, the mismatched plates, the local farm to table suppliers and awesome service.

    We stopped by for a quick drink and bite after seeing this place recommended in the Coffee Passport…read morefor K dubs, but unfortunately it ended up being a major letdown. We ordered two iced lattes: raspberry and lavender. They were ok, but nothing particularly memorable regarding the roasted beans they used. The bamboo straws were also frustratingly flimsy and kept breaking, which was especially annoying since the syrups settled at the bottom and you really needed the straws to mix the drinks properly. The major issue was the food service. We ordered a cinnamon bun and the Pregnant Sasquatch sandwich alongside our drinks, then waited nearly 30 minutes while watching people who ordered after us receive their food. When I finally went up to ask, it turned out the cashier had forgotten to send our order to the kitchen. This was stressful since we had an appointment in Toronto later in the afternoon. The cinnamon bun was then handed to us, which was sitting on the counter the whole time. Another 15 minutes later, a staff member came over to tell us they had run out of the artisan bun for the sandwich, so we had to choose an alternative. At that point, after all the delays and confusion, it honestly felt like some kind of compensation would've been appropriate. I ended up switching to sourdough bread. After waiting yet another 10 minutes, I asked if we could just cancel the sandwich altogether. The cashier assured us it was coming, and it finally arrived about 5 minutes later. To be fair, when I asked what happened, the cashier explained that they were very busy. But - there wasn't even much of a line when we placed our order, so the explanation didn't really add up. And unfortunately, after nearly an hour of waiting and spending around $30 on drinks and food, the sandwich itself was mid at best, Overall, the experience just didn't live up to the hype, and we probably won't be back.

    Photos
    The Yeti - Salmon lox

    Salmon lox

    The Yeti - Flimsy straw

    Flimsy straw

    The Yeti

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    Stacked Pancake & Breakfast House - GF cinnabun pancake bfast

    Stacked Pancake & Breakfast House

    4.0(8 reviews)
    5.2 km

    I have visited this restaurant before, has always been good. My last visit was the kickoff to my…read morebirthday trip to Kingston, and it was exceptional. Really love this place, because Stacked is one of the few breakfast places I've found in Ontario that offer gluten-free pancakes, waffles AND French toast. Most bfast places just offer GF bread, which is nice, but these days, with all the products available, I'll die on the hill that it's just lazy to not offer all menu items GF. Stacked always delivers. I picked up my rental car in Kitchener, and decided to eat breakfast before driving to Kingston. Good choice. It was a Thursday, but there were still a good number of diners eating...usually a sign on a weekday that the place is really good. I started off with the celebration of Cinnabun pancakes. Do you know what a treat that is? I don't eat this stuff at home and these taste like the best cinnamon bun you ever tasted. With the pancake stack, you will also get meat, eggs and potatoes. It's a big meal full of carbs yes, but always good to treat yourself on occasion...life is short! My server was Pratyasha. She is the most friendly and engaging server I've had at this restaurant. It's always nice when the server asks you a few questions and has a little conversation outside of just the food. She shows a genuine interest in her customers and it was much appreciated. Best server I ever had at this chain. She also knew that the sausage was not GF, and I always appreciate when your server knows that about menu items without you having to ask. Makes you feel safer about the food and shows they really care about their customers. The food came out quick and was delicious. The scrambled eggs were not dry and the bacon was so good. Potatoes were perfect as well. The restaurant was clean, including the bathroom and decor was cute. Easy free lot parking too. I'll definitely return. Hope Pratyasha is always my server!

    While on a chilly morning we drove to Kitchener to have a "sin full" breakfast and i guess we did…read moreright. We had a Hefty breakfast and a great family time. Special mention : Pranjali made our experience even better. She is a great server and a good conversationalist. So we ordered a kiddie meal ( made some substitutes) - a birthday pancake and fries with apple juice. Avocado toasts, coffee, mango lemonade and cinnamon pancakes. For 2 adults, when the arrived on our table it looked like the food was for 5 people lol. Their pancakes are humongous and delicious. I could not finish even one. (A full pancake platter has 3 pancakes) the home fries are seasoned and delicious. They are addictive. Spicy home fries were topped with picked jalapeño, bell peppers and onions, and you can't stop munching on them. Coffee was a total miss. But overall a great place for brunch!

    Photos
    Stacked Pancake & Breakfast House - View from table

    View from table

    Stacked Pancake & Breakfast House - Birthday pancake

    Birthday pancake

    Stacked Pancake & Breakfast House - Outside

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    Outside

    Mel's Diner - breakfast_brunch - Updated May 2026

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