This diner is a blast from the past, right down to the benches and the tables, every table has a coat and hat rack attached to it. A reminder of the days when men and women dressed with class and wore hats and coats to dinner.. Mills has this inherent 50s vibe, but the menu is quite up-to-date and everything is delicious. You can't go wrong with the burgers, I'm just telling you they've got something for everyone's taste. Even the sides don't disappoint, and the milkshakes are enough for two people, at least it was enough for the two of us. My engine rings were fantastic, breaded to perfection, and plenty of them came with my meal. Our waitress was tremendous also, quick drink refills, brought our food, hot, and prepared to give helpful and delicious recommendations from the menu. They do sell their merchandise at the checkout, but what do you expect, this is pigeon Forge for goodness sake! Everyone is Hawking their stuff . We are definitely planning on coming back and trying something different. Their menu is diverse and I think that we could come back for years and never have the same thing twice. read more

First time here, overall decent place. It's a good 1950s diner, typical of what you see normally. It was a happening place, all seats were filled, there was probably 60 guests there. The staff was running back and fourth, overall the wait time was not and at all. I had a chili, cheese, mushroom, back, burger, onion rings, and a root beer float. The service was decent, the food was ok, not greatest but not the best I've had either. I wouldn't mind returning and trying something else next time. read more

Mel's is a rather small diner, especially for a tourist busy place like Pigeon Forge. It's typically very busy and there's a good chance you'll have to wait for a table to open up. Parking can also be tight. Honestly it's a bit overpriced for what you get. About $20 for a burger, fries and drink, including tax. The burgers and fries we got were tasty, but nothing overly special. Service was good and our server very friendly. All the old pictures on the walls and painted windows made for a cool, old timey diner feel. Mel's is an interesting place to visit, at least once. read more

Mel's Diner - Diners Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Great little breakfast spot. Had the special and it was quite nice. I recommend the sausage patties. My husband got the fried bologna sandwich and really liked it. Our waitress was super sweet and the inside was clean and comfortable. We would go back anytime. read more

Mel's Diner - Cute diner - Diners Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

We love the diner look! We love how country and southern the food is. The best was the medium liver, bowl of chilli and the pineapple milkshake! It would have been perfect if our server didnt forget to add the milk shake. We already paid and were called back as we walked out of the door almost halfway to car to come back and pay additional because she forgot. Which was ok with us however I wish it was more thorough and smooth. Overall, a good experience with the food! read more

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Stopped in for the first time ever on a Friday night and we were seated immediately! Our waitress was nice and very attentive! But she really rushed us as it was getting busy after a while. The food was really good though! We started with Cheese fries and wow! The cheese was like a good cheese whiz! For my main I got the club sandwich! I can't resist a club sandwich and I'm glad I didn't skip on theirs! My side was pasta salad, it was good but tastes like it came out of a container . My boyfriend had a bbq cheeseburger with onion rings! Everything was great! Fun diner in a cool streamliner trailer with fun 50d themed & music decor! We will definitely be back! read more

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Place was very clean. Server, Whitney, was very friendly. My wife had French toast. I had the omelette. Sorry about the half eaten picture. I was starving and forgot to take a picture when the food arrived. I really liked the whole experience. Place to go for breakfast. read more

Mel's Diner - 3 egg omelette: Ham, sausage bacon and cheese - Diners Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

The food didn't have a lot of flavor, but our waitress was very nice. I ordered a cheese omelet, which came with hash browns and toast and a separate short stack of pancakes. My food came out hot but the omelet was literally just cheese and eggs. The hash browns were decent, and the pancakes were a bit dry. This place is usually packed, and has old fashioned diner decor. Perfect for a quick bite, or late dinner. read more

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The cool retro 50's diner is alive and well here. Shakes, malts, hamburgers hot dogs and the kind of comfort food that conjures up the nostalgia of American fare made complete with the lively diner decor. First time and the service was great! read more

Mel's Diner - Diners Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

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A little unassuming diner but offers great food and ambience. Our waitress was incredibly friendly and helpful. We all got so full we couldn't eat another bite. read more

Mel's Diner - Cheese fries - Diners Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

It was extremely busy on a Thursday night, but I got seated with no wait at the counter. I ordered the Julie's Grilled Chicken Salad, fried okra, and finished with a hot fudge sundae. The salad was okay, nothing special but just what I needed. I loved the fried okra, but I felt like there could have been more seasoning (but there is salt and pepper at the table!). The sundae was the real star of the show. It reminded me of how much I loved hot fudge sundaes as a kid. My waitress was super nice and I loved the decor, but it can be quite chaotic because of how many people there are. read more

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We always enjoy Mel's Diner. Good, diner-style food from chili dogs to country fried steak. Fun atmosphere. Clean. Busy. Fun. Thanks for a great meal as always! read more

Mel's Diner - BBQ Pulled Pork with mashed potatoes & fried corn. B+ - Diners Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

I wanted so badly to like this place but the food was just ok. Service was excellent and fast, servers were so kind and attentive. Catfish was ok but nothing great, potatoes and gravy seemed Boxed. The BBQ was not very tasty, the fried okra was ok. Apple hand pie was not very tasty and the insides were lacking anything moist. read more

I got the Reuben and it was good. I was torn between a burger, and the fried bologna. The waitress suggested the Reuben and I was impressed. I would rank it in the top 3 Reuben I have had traveling the eastern half of the US. The fries were delicious as well. I also had a side of pasta salad and it was served the way I like it, very wet. Even though I hate olives, I still found it awesome. It had that cool diner vibe and of course some merch. read more

Well being that my name is Melissa.... 10/10!! No seriously, incredible service. Great value and the food was delicious. I loved the real diner feel and how down to earth everyone was. I even bought a tshirt. read more

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Whenever we come to town we always must visit Mel's. The menu is simple and the food is good and well prepared. Burgers and fries are always a hit with the kids and there is plenty of choices for those with more complex tastes. The service is always great and decor takes me back to when times were much more simple. The burgers are always good and the onion rings are really good. read more

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Good food with a wide variety of menu items. The service has always been friendly and professional. We have been to both the Cape Coral and Ft Myers locations and like both. The Ft Myers location is 70's themed. Both have always been clean and fresh looking. read more

This was a cute, 50s themed restaurant. I had the French dip which was delicious. Our server, Samantha, was excellent and very helpful. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because the menu wasn't descriptive. For example, the omelets didn't list what was in them. Other than that, it was an excellent experience. read more

Mel's Diner - Nicole's Nicoles's French Dip with chips - Diners Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Super fun eclectic 1960-1960's diner. We were seated immediately on a Thursday evening getting into town. The waitress was quick and attentive. My husband had a cheese burger that he inhaled within 5mins so it must've been great! I had a Reuben sandwich that reminded me Of ones my grandfather use to make. It was so delicious! We had chocolate shakes and malts both were fantastic! The restaurant was very clean. If we lived nearby, we would be regulars! read more

Mel's Diner - Exterior at night - Diners Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

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Mel's Diner is SO good! Our server, "Angel", took great care of us! I love the classic diner decor and booths. Very nostalgic! All of our food was delicious. The hamburger steak, chili dog, and grilled cheese were great, and we finished it off with a strawberry sundae and peach cobbler. Chef's kiss! Can't wait to go back! read more

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When coming to TN for my brother's wedding, he suggested we all go to Mel's diner, as he ate there the two days previous and loved the cinnamon rolls. I will start by saying that I'm gluten-free, so I'm already a little limited in my options at a diner. I opted for an omelette that left something to be desired and tasted like powdered eggs. My sister also got an omelette and there was no cheese - how bizarre? The coffee, while not expected to be great, was horribly watered down. For all of that, the price was still high for a diner like this. I wanted to love this place, but I just didn't. read more

Mel's Diner - Cinnamon Roll - Diners Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Nice place! Great staff. who were attentive. Had the catfish, with sides of fried okra & mac and cheese. Very good. Glad I went. read more

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Food was delicious. The ambience was cool. It's like stepping back into the past, listening to 50's and 60's music. Megan was our waitress. She did a good job. I've eaten here numerous times and I've never been disappointed. The parking lot is kind of small and could be a problem if you get here during the busy time. read more

Amazing! Chill, affordable, and a classic diner vibe. Our server Daniel is fantastic! Genuinely one of the sweetest people we've met! Food was very good! Pasta salad was delicious! All in all, simple southern cooking that will have you experience true southern hospitality! OPEN LATE!!!! #DanielTheGOAT read more

Sparkling clean Friend list I watched and wipe down the boots the windows everything service was fast. Food was good quality and lots of it and I love the music of 1950.'s Go try this dynamic place read more

As a content creator here in Gatlinburg on YouTube TikTok IG Facebook..The Gatlinburg Hussey, I tell everyone how amazing this place is! One of the best burgers I've ever had and the onion rings are Insane too! I highly recommend going there and having a great time! Save room for a milkshake too read more

Food was low quality and small portions were served. Not worth it. Unsure how this has 4 stars.

If I could leave no stars I would. I've never in my entire life received such terrible service like I did at this joint. We waited 15+ minutes for a server to come to our table and greet us and then when we got our server's attention she was incredibly rude to us every time she spoke to her. I then tried to talk to the manager and she didn't seem to care either and I almost felt as though she only valued the servers side. The place had such a strong smell of mold that it was almost impossible to stay there but it was the only food option open at the time. We asked the server if this place had been inspected for mold and her response was "have you ever heard of pigeon forge police??!!!". We are in disbelief of how terrible our experience with Mel's was. Also food was 2/10. Nothing special. Very comparable to eating by at an ihop. In an area that is for tourists, this place was anything but hospitable. read more

Food/Taste/Flavor: 3/5 - ordered Miss Stella's Country Fried Steak with french fries and mac & cheese, Grandpappy's Pot Roast with mash potatoes and fried okra, and a bowl of chili. The chili had a tiny kick but was on the sweeter side. Country Fried Steak was 5/5 and absolutely delicious! Fried perfectly well with a lovely gravy on top. The pot roast was 1/5 and did not melt in your mouth as advertised, it was quite chewy and dry and only edible because of the gravy. The french fries and fried okra were great but the mac & cheese was plain and the mash potatoes quite dry/sticky in our mouth... Service: 5/5 - Cassie was super friendly and cracked jokes and took a moment to chat whenever she could. Ambiance: 5/5 - interesting interior that was 50's or 60's diner themed with pictures of musicians along the walls. The booths were cramed but cozy overall. The metal does act as a faraday cage though since we had pretty much no reception inside the restaurant. Value for price: 4/5 - quick service with large serving of food. Reasonable pricing compared to the options in town. read more

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It was our first time dining at Mel's diner after many times in Pigeon Forge. There was a wait but not bad. We had the norm of sandwiches and fries. They were good but nothing special. One thing I'd wish they would do is put descriptions of the different burgers. They have catchy names but you have to ask the waitress what they are. The restaurant is nice and it has that old timey diner feel. read more

It was late night in Pigeon Forge and we needed food. Mel's Diner was a great choice. It was like stepping back into the 1960's. I had pancakes. Others had burgers/fries. They have a huge menu. Quick service and great oldie music playing . Fun place. Nothing fancy perfect diner. read more

Mel's Diner - Inside Mel's Diner - Diners Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Arrived about 6 pm Saturday. Was given a buzzer and told about 25 minute wait and we could wait outside or in our car. After watching about three or four groups that arrived after us go in I asked the girl what is the problem. She said the paperwork got messed up but there was a table being cleaned in a few minutes. I wonder how long they would had left us sitting in our car had I not gone back in. Will never happen again because I wont go back. Food also not the greatest!! read more

Get something from the breakfast menu. I had the chicken fingers and it was just a low end Gordon's frozen to fry stick. Not impressed.

Food hit the spot today! Wow. Full with happy bellies! We had breakfast for dinner and it was delicious. Service was great too!

Great food. Sorry I didn't catch our servers name but she was a sweetie and very prompt. I ordered the western omelette it was amazing. My other half ordered eggs, hash browns, sausage and bacon and biscuits and gravy. Our daughter ordered sausage, biscuits and gravy and grits and bacon. Everyone enjoyed their meals. Although our daughter said she'd never seen sausage and gravy with sausage sprinkled on top of her gravy before. I thought it was creative and didn't add that greasy effect it sometimes can. But honestly what really I loved about it most was we didn't have to wait not even a minute to get seated. It was fricken fantastic, especially when you go the weekend after Xmas to Pigeon Forge. I mean it can be so silly trying to get in any restaurant without a reservation. This was an amazing experience and I love the decor. The coolest shirts. Plus they have that cool juke box. Really a fun little place. Everyone was honestly so sweet. read more

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After visiting Ripley's Aquarium in Gatlinburg, we decided to go to Mel's Diner for dinner. For my meal, I ordered the country fried steak, which comes with two sides and Texas toast. I chose mac and cheese and fried okra for my sides. I thought that the country fried steak was crunchy, peppery, and hearty. The mac was extremely cheesy, the way mac should be. The okra and toast were just like any other. My cousin got the James Works burger, which is topped with chili, bacon, and mushrooms with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle. He got it with no mushrooms and enjoyed it. My cousin's girlfriend got the biscuit and gravy with two eggs and bacon. She loved it. My dad got the bacon cheeseburger, and he thought it was delicious. My mom got the Cajun burger and enjoyed it. Overall, I would highly recommend going to Mel's for a delicious meal. read more

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This was a horrible ridiculous experience and I will make sure everyone knows it. Me and my family are tourists visiting the area and this place was recommended for a couple food items. We had planned to go to Heirlooms for the evening but some of our party didn't want to drive so we decided on a smaller number of our party going to Mel's diner. We were greeted, taken to a seat for a party of 7, sat down and had our drinks and food orders taken. Then our drinks were brought back to us as well. While this was taking place I had my toy poodle on my side in my carry bag up on my shoulder. This was seen by all members of the "supposed pets are welcome" establishment. So after over 20 min here comes a lady telling me I can't have my dog in my arm I have to put him under the table. We ask her where is he supposed to go as the diner booth we were sat at was extremely small. She talking bout she don't know while pointing to a spot on the floor. I explained to her that he is a service animal and proceeded to show my documentation and I explained I was not sitting my $6000 dog on the floor for no one. She then says I have to leave. Now again mind you we have been seated had orders taken and had our drinks brought back all while the dog was visible. So I asked if the owner was present once we got back to the front of the restaurant. She said no but the general manager was. So she goes and gets him and he comes and is just as rude saying the dog has to go on the floor and I again explained to him that I have a bag for him and that he is licensed to be with me at all times. He didn't want to listen and said this was Tennessee law and said we needed to just leave. So at first I was going to but then I realized that he was breaking some serious laws so I went back and asked him to please repeat what he just did in the establishment and I advised I was recording. All of a sudden he wanted to go outside after just humiliating me and my family. Now you want to go outside and then he's being even ruder threatening to call the police. As he is making this situation worse I explained to him that I would not have had a problem at all had we not been seated served drinks and had our food orders taken. We were hungry it was late and this experience was extremely upsetting. Even when the police came they agreed that it was wrong and advised they even knew there was nowhere to put the dog even though the older lady in there claimed big dogs go under a table with 4 people. The officer observed this was a pocket size toy dog and he recommended a better establishment for us to eat at. So after even further humiliation it was shown that not only was this wrong but this restaurant in fact violated several service animal laws. They did not ask the 2 questions that is required to be asked by law and they completely ignored my documentation which is legitimate everywhere I go. I suffer from severe ptsd and this made my condition worse and ruined me and my family's evening. I will be taking this to the full extent of the law and going to the places the officers kindly told us where we can file formal complaints. I will also be seeking counsel as this entire situation was recorded. read more

Typical diner ambiance and options. Went for breakfast/lunch on a Saturday morning and although crowded, we were seated quickly. The food came out quickly and tasted good. The portion sizes were decent for the prices. I appreciated how many veggies were in the veggie omelet. read more

Came to eat here with my family and the moment we stepped in they were horribly rude. The hostess acted like we didn't belong here. I told my husband I wanted to leave and he said let's just try it out. Our waitress Alexis seems like she did NOT want to be there. She was short with us, acted like we were an inconvenience when we literally asked one question. Didn't come to check on us til we were almost done. My daughter needed more ranch and she just threw it on the table. Maybe it was a bad night for her but there's no reason to act that way. We aren't from here and have had great experiences everywhere we have went to eat. I guess I just expected too much from one of the only mom and pop places left in Pigeon Forge. read more

Mel's Diner - Diners Near Me - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

It is a cool restaurant to visit however.... The burger was good, fries were okay, and the dessert which was Peach Cobbler was disappointing. It tasted like the peaches they used were out of those individual plastic cups of peaches.The cobbler was slightly warmed. It was served with Vanilla ice cream which was good. read more