Being new to Lebanon, we stopped in here as we love diners in general. I would not have changed a single thing about my meal. The meatloaf was phenomenal as were the fresh cut fries. The service was wonderful as well. My husband had an omelet and he didn't even put catsup on it which is very unusual. I highly recommend this finer and can't wait to come back!! read more

Lisa, our server, needs to socialize less and serve more. We spent an hour and 20 minutes at a diner for breakfast ! I have no idea how long our breakfast was sitting under the heat lamps waiting to be served...1/2 hour? The place was not even full. We used to go there when it was packed and got served in half the time. Very disappointed. read more

Mel's Diner is a traditional 1950's diner with all of the stainless steel and vinyl topped benches. It is well lit and pretty clean. I sat at the bar and the service was excellent. Fast treating and the hot beverage was dropped with moments of sitting, and the food followed writhing 20 minutes of entering the diner. For breakfast I had a a delightful cup of coffee and the chipped beef on a bed of home fries. The chipped beef and gravy was relatively bland and didn't carry much of a salty or savory flavors and the consistency was a gooey base. The home fries were sliced and cooked perfectly. Small town diners are always warm and welcoming. The wait staff always knows the locals and the locals always know the staff. The banter ensues and the long laughs break out!! read more

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Food back when I wasn't handicapped was really good. But can't go no more as for some reason they weren't forced to make it handicapped accessible. It's a shame. read more

I was in there on a Wednesday morning now that Bobby sold the place. I ask for eggs over easy. The one egg hardly had any dippy and the other one didn't have any dippy at all. I ask to speak to the owner and they wouldn't come out. If you want good eggs over easy I wouldn't go there. I hope they soon get better. I use to like going there. I will try it in a month or so and hope they got a lot better. read more

Super cute old fashion diner! 12:00pm - 1:00pm on a Saturday was surprisingly dead. Breakfast and lunch served until they close at 2:00pm. Our server was very nice. Though, he forgot my coffee and ja few other requests. Prices are good. Best part about the meal was their homemade breads. I recommend the raisin bread and sourdough. Rye bread was not impressive and could have been wheat bread. My eggs were supposed to be over medium but they were over easy. I asked for butter on the side and the toast still came out buttered. The cheesesteak melt special had a good amount of meat and was not too messy. If I lived in the area I could see coming there once in awhile but definitely not worth a drive. read more

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We stopped her for Sunday brunch and was taken care of very well! Food came out hot and well seasoned. My hollandaise sauce could've used a bit more lemon but it was good. Loved the old diner feel took me back in time. read more

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I usually find diner food to be very good but unfortunately the food in this diner can only be classified as inedible. I had the fish & chips with coleslaw. The batter coated fish had a small amount of fish inside and was so overdone (almost black in places) that it was actually hard to cut with the knife and fork while the fries were rubbery and not done at all. The coleslaw had huge pieces of cabbage in it and was watery and tasteless. In addition to the terrible food, the service was lacking as it took over 15 minutes to get a glass of water and another 20+ minutes to actually receive the food order. The diner is fairly run down although I could've overlooked that if the food had been edible. All in all, a very disappointing experience. I cannot in good conscience recommend this diner to anyone. read more

4 1/2 stars. Classic all time diner. Beautiful stainless steel throughout. I was there on a Sunday morning and it was pretty busy. They were short staffed, so please be patient. I still had fairly quick service. Western omelette with home fries with onions and toast, accompanied by iced tea and water = $11.24. Very good food! I just wish it came with a bigger plate!! I've been here before, and I will be back! read more

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FOOD just not what it used to be. Specials taste warmed-up. soup of the day usually a disappointment. SERVICE ALWAYS GREAT,

Breakfast food is my favorite thing in the world. Bennies in particular. I've never had one with corned beef hash. I think I'm in love. read more

Mel's Diner - Mel's Eggs Benedict with corned beef hash - Diners Near Me - Lebanon, Pennsylvania

Here for breakfast Busy, busy, busy But still waited on promptly Cheese and asparagus omelette was yummy Servings were plenty read more

After having waited for over an hour at another local spot, we decided to give Mel's Diner a shot. We went on a Monday so not sure if there's typically a wait on the weekend but we were happy to walk in and grab a booth. The place is beautiful in terms of diners. I got my all-time favorite Chipped Beef on toast and my partner got a typical breakfast of eggs, toast and bacon. We both loved our food. The Chipped Beef was so flavorful that it's best I've had in a long time. If I had one complaint, I'd say that it needed one more slice of toast - there was only two - so I had a ton of chipped beef just by itself on the plate. But I was totally satisfied. The coffee was decent too which is always a plus. Wish we'd eaten at Mel's both days we were in town! read more

3 stars for charging to use a debit or credit card. Next they will be charging for straws,napkins or crackers for the soup?? I'm not here to give them ideas, but to review the food, check out the facilities and inspect the bathroom. Everything was clean and kept well. Mind you that my review was back in December 2018. I opted for a chicken breast that came with a crab cake. It was topped off with a white sauce. Since it was a special that evening, I tried it without hesitation! My entree was very filling and moist. It was served lukewarm but still tasty. Salad was average and the vegetables were persistent quality for a diner. Took out a piece of cake that was an oversized piece that I had to have regardless. It was eaten no sooner than a mile after driving away. To end my review I do give 4 stars for the food and will eventually stop in again with CASH. Since I will be paying with CASH, I will not be ordering a soda nor eating dessert as I don't want to short myself as I need to tip my server and also pay the state's sales tax. And, if I play my numbers or scratch tickets before, a grilled cheese might be all I can afford as a cash paying customer???? read more

Semi busy breakfast diner. Ordered an ham and cheese omelet home fries, sausage links and wheat toast. Water for drink. Nothing special about any of these items. I receive 3 very small extra grease filled links extremely lacking in flavor The home fries where very dry and overdone. Difficult to chew at times. I don't normally add ketchup to my home fries but had to do so to make them more edible. The omelette was average at best. Not terrible but nothing special either. The wheat toast was average as well, hard to mess up toast. Service was friendly and kind. Although they didn't ask me how anything was but otherwise pretty good. For 1 person my bill was 11.46 which includes a .50 fee for using credit card. I'm not a fan of the .50 fee considering it's 2018 and I never carry cash. Considering the food quality I think that's a bit expensive. In my opinion there are far better breakfast places in the area. I'd consider the Hearth or Filling Station which are comparable but in my opinion better food and better value. read more

Mel's Diner - Diners Near Me - Lebanon, Pennsylvania

Not happy! Very busy and short handed. Begged for coffee refill and never got it. Hubby asked for oatmeal with strawberries and got canned strawberries in a thick syrup (strawberry pie filling). Oatmeal was cement. Could not put enuf milk to soften. Bill was $8.48, thru charged my card $9.00. When questioned they claim $.50 card charge. Never again, will go back to Evergreen in Ephrata. read more

Here we go again... I took my kid here about 2 weeks ago. It was spot on, took forever though. I think the owner was cooking. Then we went Monday. I order the same breakfast all the time. Western, extra cheese, home fries, sausage, jam. It was 1 mess up after the other. Then someone that works there called the cops on us while we were finishing up because we left our dog in the truck.... windows cracked... 72 degrees out... and we can and were remotely starting it for 15 min intervals with AC and 105.7 The X running. Inconsistent. At its best it's a 3.5(not the best breakfast in the area, most convenient for me though). We love Lisa!! read more

Went to Mel's Diner for Breakfast as that is the only thing I go to diners for. Had Mel's Eggs Benedict and they were great. The poached eggs were perfectly cooked, it might not have been Canadian Ham, but this ham was better and Hollande sauce was lighter and good. Husband had the 2 eggs with hash browns and link sausage and said were wonderful. The meal was good we went back the next day for exactly the same meals. The only problem was that the waitresses were good even if very short handed, but both had the same problem mask never covered there noses. read more

Very unpleasant staff. Stale desserts. Matches the personalities. Overrated. Every few months I try to give them another shot. Consistently disappointing read more

Real diner with great prices. Plenty of potatoes cooked just right. Coffee was good also.

Nostalgic atmosphere. Clean. Quick friendly service. Excellent food with plenty of . Will come again and would recommend to friends.

We stopped in between baseball games with a large group. Food was great and service was excellent!

Every town in America deserves a Diner like Mels. It's Americana at it's finest , everyone seems to know each other and smiles are in abundance. The feel of this Diner is perfect , the food and service are exceptional. read more

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We eat breakfast here once in a while and have never been disappointed with the food. The servers are usually prompt, but it does take sometime until you get your order, but we are retired and never go there on a tight schedule. One thing I did observe, all the waitresses know their regulars and call them by name. The other day an elderly gentleman dropped a pill under the table and was unable to reach it and the waitress got under the table and found it for him. This should tell you something about the servers and their care for their customers. read more

Cheap and pretty good food. Friendly service but kinda slow. Place is small but classic. Would return.

An average diner, quick and efficient on a Sunday morning for our group of 6. Omelette was great. read more

Mel's Diner - Interior - Diners Near Me - Lebanon, Pennsylvania

I love old Diners, but the look can not make up for the really horrible food! Customers beware stay away from this one.....

It would take a lot to get me to eat in this place again. My mom and I watched a waitress cut a piece of cake for a customer, then lick her fingers and the cutting knife. read more

We got there about 10:30 a.m. on a snowy Sunday we were seated immediately and things went down from there. It was about 5 minutes before anyone brought our menus and took our drink order but that was okay because it gave me time to take the dirty wash cloth off the half bussed table beside ours and wipe the grape jelly off the cuff of my shirt and table and wipe the coffee rings off the table. Well the drink orders arrived about 10 minutes later and our order was taken.We then began the long wait---- after about the first ten minutes I began to really look around and notice how just this side of grimy the place really was. The window sill were pretty dusty, some of the benchseats looked like squirrels were stashing food for winter,the waitress came back to give someone there check and I said Excuse me can I get blah blah blah is must of what came out cause she didn't even look at me.That was about the twenty minute mark. Another couple came in and sat across the isle from us. There order was taken pretty quickly and we were still waiting. About 15 minutes later still no drink refills I hear the lady across from us say to her companion look the people over there came in after us and they have their food. My wife says this is it I am going to talk a manager. As she stands up our food comes out or at least part of it. Son #1 got a bagel sandwich it is there mms my wife got bacon and eggs they are there I got sausage and eggs the eggs are there,son #2 got french toast and sausage and nothing is there.Waitress says she will be right back. After about 5 minutes I say sorry son I am going to start without you I take a big bite of potatoes and egg right as the rest of our food arrives and pull a hair out of my mouth. Waitress is standing right and apologies and offers to get me something else. I say no thats okay they were stone cold when they got here and just got colder whike I was waiting on the rest of our food.I asked why we had to wait over 40 minutes and our food couldn't arrive at the same time.Manager/Owner/Something comes over with an attitude ask what we expext to be done.I said I'm leaving and don't want anything else so she acts like she is d ae overoing us a favor by taking off everything but the drinks and my sons bagle the bagle I would expect to pay for but I didn't go there for an overpriced cup of coffee. Fifteen minutes later we were sitting at a diner down the road with hot hairless food in front of us. read more

Burnt home fries, soggy rye toast, and watery omelette. The waitress obnoxiously filled my cup to the brim of old burnt coffee.

It's a gamble to eat here. Service Roulette. I have been to Mel's Diner a total of three times. It IS very nostalgic looking- thus the appeal. It has the "potential", and let me stress POTENTIAL to be a good restaurant. Visit number 1 was fall of 2015. My dad and I went together and he knew the waitress who used to work at Hallman's Diner years ago. SHE was an excellent waitress. She paid attention to us, and was friendly, and the food came in a timely fashion. Visit 2- was April of 2016. My mother-in-law arrived for lunch. Our water glasses sat un-refilled on the edge of the table. When I had the audacity to ask for another glass after I had already asked once before, the waitress replied "oh yeah I'll see if I can't find some rain water to fill your glass up with". Then she brought me an extremely large glass of water instead of just refilling the one I had. Basically after she brought our food that was the last we saw of her. She was more interested in flirting with all of the men in the restaurant and paying them lots of attention, going to their tables, refilling their drinks etc. I got a waffle which I must say, was very good, however my mother-in-law got a sandwich and the portions were extremely small. Visit # 3, my husband and I went last night and got as far as sitting at the table when we realize that the service was going to be as good as it was when my mother-in-law was with me. Initially we asked a waitress behind the counter if we could just seat ourselves and she said "yeah", in a RUDE tone, and then walked off not giving us menus or anything. We saw two ladies standing waiting to pay their bill for about 10 minutes- no cashier in sight and decided that we didn't want to sit and wait endlessly to order. Not only did no one acknowledge us sitting there, but no one even really acknowledged the ladies that were waiting to pay until right before we walked out of the restaurant. Long and the short of it, the service here might be good depending on the waitress, but more than likely it's going to be very bad! read more

I can't imagine a more classic looking diner. Sit down, order the special, enjoy yourself.

I walked in 15 minutes before close while i was on a DoorDash order and asked if the kitchen was still open. The lady behind the desk was kind enough to ask the kitchen crew (who was already cleaning the fryer) to whip up some chicken tenders to-go with the utmost compliance and pleasure. Nicest environment to eat great food, makes you feel like a part of the family. 10/10 read more

Great place to eat lunch. When ever I am in town on business I stop there for lunch. Good food and reasonable prices. Interior looks great as a old diner. read more

Literally the worst meal I've ever had. Silverware was dirty. My large OJ was tiny. I asked for water and it never came. Bacon was burnt and still saturated with grease. Eggs and hash browns were so greasy they slid off my fork. All tasted the same probably due to shared grease or lard. I told the waitress how terrible it was and she said "ok, how much of a tip should I put on your card". read more

Very lovely wait staff. Good food breakfast , lunch or dinner... Great place. Love the such omlet and baked oatmeal, soup is deliah and homemade fries. read more

Wow. All I can say is WOW. So delicious and very clean restaurant. I ordered the eggs Benedict and it was cooked to flawless perfection. The muffin was crisp but not burnt and the eggs were solid not gooey. I can't recommend this place more read more

I have never had a worst breakfast experience. Honestly, the food was ok, but the waitress was totally awful. I stopped in with some coworkers after a night out( I'm not from the area). We waited forever for menus to begin with and the waitress (middle aged female, red hair) was I guess just not having a good day. She was not wearing a name tag so I don't know her name. She just sort of looked at us to indicate we should order. When I ordered an sausage and cheese omelet and a short stack of pancakes (2 pancakes, which my one coworker who hadn't ordered yet and I planned on splitting), she commented "oh wow someone's hungry" under her breath when I was ordering! Not in a friendly way either, no smile on her face! I was shocked and embarrassed and thought oh my these portions must be really huge or something since I hadn't been before. They weren't! So basically fat shamed me (yes I am overweight) everyone at my table commented on it so I know i wasn't being overly sensitive. Truly awful experience. Thanks Mel's, if your goal is to leave your customer in tears for ordering food here, you've met it! read more

Service sucks. Staff is rude. Ordered food for pick up and was charged $0.50 for using my debit card and $0.60 for pick up. Even before the fees, the two orders of food I ordered was close to $2 more per order than down the street. I questioned the bill to the boy ringing it up and the waitress was quick rush over to to show me it says fee for pick up on the menu.... Do you think i had the menu when I called in the order and asked "do you take pick up orders?". She should have told me on the phone, she took the order from me on the phone. I recognized the voice and attitude. Toast was soggy because they put it in the box with the hot food. Potatoes dried out. In the end it cost me a snappy attitude from staff and the same amount on the bill to go further down the street and order THREE orders of the same food. We also ate here for breakfast before when family was in town. Waitress was clearly overwhelmed and needed to be reminded of basics like water. Good luck trying to find someone to acknowledge you when you walk in, there's a sign that says they will seat you but the staff won't even look at you when you walk in and there's never anyone at the register. read more

I can't believe they have a $2 fee to use a credit/debit card, it does not matter what the total bill is. This is absolutely ridiculous. Makes me not want to eat there. read more