1. Mel's Drive-In

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West Hollywood, CA

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Mel's Drive-In

3.5 (1.2k reviews)
Closed • 7:00 am - 3:00 AM (Next day)

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MEL'S DRIVE-IN ATMOSPHERE

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

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Recommended Reviews - Mel's Drive-In

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Oreo coffee milkshake
Kaylee P.

If you come to Mel's drive in for the Hollywood, American diner experience you'll likely really enjoy it. Food was good and vibe was even better! The patty melt and coffee Oreo milkshake were exactly what I wanted from a diner like this. I will say, it is very pricey for what you get. If I am paying over $40 per person, I prefer something higher quality! Our server was friendly and knew the menu well which I always appreciate. Definitely keep this spot on your list as a great "touristy" option!

Sky T.

This place was much needed for our group after a long night! Classic diner type of place with straightforward food. It hit the spot and was good for our group. The service was really good to us too and friendly. Just got Chicken Tenders with Fries and a Turkey Burger. Nice and crispy and just what we needed. Overall, good for groups and if looking for classic and simple food!

Split plate of eggs Benedict & fruit
Alice A.

We have eaten at Mel's a few times. It does not disappoint. We typically have little or no wait and the staff is very attentive. We were in the area recently and didn't want a lot of fanfare for breakfast, so Mel's it was. There were 4 of us and we had great meals with plenty to eat. They have the standard breakfast menu, and I particularly like their hashbrowns and fruit choices. The place is very cute and gives a blast from the past vibe. I love the juke box at the table. It wasn't working that day but we typically enjoy loading our quarters for our choice of music. Cute, fun, delicious place!!

High protein breakfast
Brenda A.

Diner food, quick attentive service and great options. This location offers parking in the back as well as street parking. They sell Merchandise and do special events from time to time. This location is a tourist destination but there's usually a table available. They also have a variety of milks which I appreciate.

Brightly lit & clean!
Terrence T.

What an awesome classic place to dine! My friends and I to Mel's Drive-In on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood for a late lunch/early dinner. The restaurant is nostalgia with a modern kick to it. Tons of booths and tables to sit in. There's a sign that says please seat yourself. The servers and staff have a cool retro wardrobe and fun hats. Our server was friendly and very quick! We ordered our drinks and food. She gave us a quarter for the mini jukebox. Yes, three booths have mini jukeboxes boxes! So cool. Our food arrived and was very delicious. We had classic American cuisine: sandwiches, fries and one friend even had breakfast for their meal! Before leaving my friend wanted a milkshake and he got it to go. It came in a cool to go cup with a lid. There are a few food items I definitely want go back and eat!

Cool "Googie" architecture
Daniel W.

Mel's is the quintessential American diner. Housed in a classic 1950s "googie" architecture building, it's a great place to get comfort food in a cool environment. There's also outdoor seating so you can sit on the famous Sunset strip (and watch traffic and billboards). The food is uniformly excellent, but not inexpensive (this is an upscale diner). Breakfast is always available and their pancakes are especially good! The service is friendly, attentive, efficient, and the servers have real personality! There's FREE valet parking in the back ( a pleasant surprise in LA). It's also one of the rare restaurants that's open late, Thursday and Friday it's open till 3:00 a.m. And it's 24 hours a day over the weekend. Tourists and locals alike enjoy this old fashioned slice of Americana. You probably will, too!

Exterior
Taylor J.

I'm kicking this popsicle stand (LA)! So, i'm going on a hobo tour of hanging out with all my friends before I go. Mel's diner was the perfect place to enjoy breakfast with them. Arrived around 10am and was surprised by how available it was to find a table. Totally amazing for peak brunch hours. You're able to seat yourself, so we walked right in and grabbed a seat. My friends got pancakes + waffles while I was craving something meatier...so I opted for the patty melt. Everything was incredible! It was great hanging with the girls, having a nice cup of coffee, eating some yummy food, and enjoying the fun morning at Mel's.

Lana Del Rey Shake
Olivia H.

One of the best late night diners in my opinion! Always great service, food comes out fast and they have all the diner classics. I love the retro decors and ambiance, the details really make it! Their pancakes are perfect and if you visit you have to get a milkshake (they always give the extra leftover shake in another cup). The prices might seem a bit high but it's nothing out of the ordinary for LA. Will be back when I'm in the area and craving a late night bite!

Emi G.

Mel's Poem Milkshakes that make u feel 7 years old again Everlasting classic 50s diner aesthetic Love the staff, sweet even at like 1 AM Short rib grilled cheese w/ soup is reliable af

Machine gun Kelly collab Lost Americana Grilled Cheese Sweet Potato Fries
Nicolas J.

The the lost Americana grilled cheese sandwich. Paired it with a pineapple mimosa. The restaurant had a collab with machine gun Kelly for a day for his new album. The sandwich had turkey on Texas toast. Staff was friendly. Sadly the coffee cup merch was sold out. They offered free valet parking which was a nice bonus

And here's my pink burger
Christina A.

My Boy's and I made the hour and some change drive here from Rancho Cucamonga. My Son Greg loves 50's diners so it was a must try for us. I will get the negatives completely out of the way first. Please be aware of the crook parking attendant outside in the parking lot. I told him I was dining in the restaurant and asked him if this is the only restaurant parking. He said you can park anywhere you want I said well that's the restaurant so I would like to park here. He said OK it's $20. Which I thought well we've already driven an hour and a half and it was very busy in the surrounding areas so I'll just pay the $20. Inside it was clean and there's a complete different ambience than there is outside. Everyone seems happy to be there including 99.8% of the employees. We were seated in a cute little booth. Our serve server was Jimmy. He was absolutely delightful. I asked my son if he wanted a shake and he said no so I had a shake and the boys had cokes. When we were ordering our food, we did ask for our burgers to be extra well done and Jimmy said "all our burgers are well done, They are thin smash burgers". I cannot eat pink. I usually refuse to eat pink. Unfortunately, both of our burgers were pink on the inside but charred pretty good on the outside so my son Geoffrey and I both did not finish ours but we ate most of it. I didn't want to send it back because everything else was going so well. My shake was the best shake. I've had in my entire life. I order shakes everywhere I go & typically my son Gregory does as well. I let him have the remainder of my shake that was in the metal cup and he knew he needed to order one too. So he ordered one after he finished his meal and Jimmy brought us drinks to go. I've made shakes at home that haven't been better than this and I too am also a chef. Hands-down, this was the best shake I've had in my almost 50 years and although I won't be back to this location because the surrounding area was not my vibe. My son's will probably come back when they're grown and remember this place. As my son Gregory is a professional skateboarder. He said the best most amazing skate place set behind the restaurant, but he didn't bring his board so we didn't go. I will try one of the other locations. Overall, besides the pink burger and the parking attendant that argued & cursed at me outside after my meal when I attempted to get my parking ticket validated which he refused.... we still had the best time ever. Jimmy was wonderful and we asked for a lot of things for the table and each time he came by, He always had a smile! Jimmy thank you so much. Be prepared to spend almost $200 with gratuity and parking. For My Boy's to have a memory it was priceless!

Richard V.

if you are ever catching a show at the comedy store and looking for food after, go to mel's dinner. the service is great every time we come to this place. the banana split was jaw dropping (i mean look at the picture). the fries are good. the entire menu is to die for. plus you may never know who you will run into.

Natalie J.

What a fun experience! Pro-tip, their valet is free when you dine in! Wish I would have known but luckily we were able to find meter parking directly in front. Janet was our waitress and she was truly the best! Another pro-trip, get a mimosa with that burger, because why not!? We ordered the Sunset Burger and fries, which was perfect even to share. They are not lying with the 1/2 lb angus ground beed. Glad we shared too as we were able to also try out an appetizer. The place itself is fun, iconic to Hollywood, and perhaps the best one to check out if you are going to go to a Mel's Drive-In. Follow their ig page as they have pop ups, currently on their menu is Skims collab as their flagship is next door. I once saw country dancing event too on their ig! If you need a diner fix with a classic 50s twist, this is the place. Thank you to the manager too who was super helpful on our Hollywood sight seeing adventure. This was a perfect lunch spot to start our day.

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Reviews are mixed. Many enjoy the retro diner ambiance, excellent milkshakes, friendly staff, and large portions.

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Mel's Drive-In Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Mel's Drive-In

How pricy is it to go on a date here?

Expect to pay between $50 to $75, depending on what you order. Groupon has a $20 off Groupon you can purchase.

Do they serve delivery?

Yes, they use Door Dash I believe. I looked it up and yes, they do. This is from their webiste. They have a take-out menu on the website also. Order MEL'S DRIVE-IN - West… 

How is the parking? Is it easy to get in and out. Thanks!

There is free valet parking during busy hours. I haven’t ever had any difficulty. There is also a number of metered spots on Sunset.

Do they take reservations?

I doubt it, but there always seems to be tables available.

Do they have a public restroom?

yes, public restroom. I even went there during pandemic, ate in the parking lot but was allowed to use the restroom

Are they still doing car hop service at this location, or is it Sherman Oaks only as of 3/25/2021?

No, sorry, no carhops at this location.

Do they serve breakfast all day?

Yes, they do and very good!

Is there happy hour, and if so what time?

No happy hour at Mel's.

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Clark Street Diner - blueberry pancake, 7-20-2023

Clark Street Diner

4.0(425 reviews)
3.3 mi•Hollywood Hills
•$$

Came here for a bite to cure a case of the Mondays. I was seated immediately!…read more As soon as you walk in, you're greeted by the clark street bakery pastry case with shelves lined with sourdough loaves. It was a little preview of the breakfast experience amongst the charming vintage diner decor. Absolutely no notes. Quite possibly the best pancakes I've had in LA

I have no idea what brought my wife and I to Hollywood last week, but it happened and we ended up…read moreat the Clark Street Diner for lunch. Parking in this area is pretty bad, but we got lucky after making some rounds and found a spot only a few minutes away. This place seems pretty small from the outside but when you walk in you see two separate seating sections as well as some counter seating if that's what you are into. The menu you ask? well, it's a diner so it has a pretty basic diner menu which is why you come to a diner, so there's no issue there. I was originally going to order some pancakes, but when I ordered my mouth picked the Clark Street Club. The Clark Street Club is served on wheat and consisted of Turkey, Bacon, Avocado, Lettuce, and whatever the special sauce was. The sandwich was pretty darn good and really hit the spot, as did the french fries it came with. They were cooked on the lighter side but still crispy enough to dip in ketchup and leave satisfied. Overall, the Clark Street Diner is very Hollywood and if that's what you are looking for, it's gonna do the trick. The food here was pretty good, the staff was super friendly, and the vibes were loud and upbeat. Will I return to the Clark Street Diner? I honestly don't know, but I sure wouldn't be mad if I did.

Photos
Clark Street Diner - The Counter

The Counter

Clark Street Diner - Challah bread French Toast, Thick bacon (3pcs) and Breakfast Sausage (2pcs).

Challah bread French Toast, Thick bacon (3pcs) and Breakfast Sausage (2pcs).

Clark Street Diner - Perfect coffee!

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Perfect coffee!

Canter's Deli - Fresser, pastrami and corned beef piled high on rye.

Canter's Deli

3.5(5k reviews)
1.4 mi•Beverly Grove
•$$

This was on my list to try ever since their anniversary special. I didn't get a chance to go…read morecelebrate then, and I am glad because I heard they had a line till 2am! The food is top notch high quality ingredients. We tried the pastrami sandwich variations, potatoe salad, pickles, and matzah ball soup. All were amazing. The pickles are not that vinegary and light on the salt. The potatoe salad was a bit sweet and we added tobasco. Sandwiches - wow the bread is so fresh! I didn't think of adding mustard until the end. It was good as is. I only had pastrami and rye. My date has his grilled w cheese and sourkraut. Matzo ball soup - you have to try it ! It was delicious. Loved the bagel chip pairing . It was all chased down with refills that our server Jimmy was very attentive to refilling. Jimmy was a great server very appreciative of his hard work! Miss this kind of dining out. The decor is beautiful a true La history gem. We loved the pastries we bought on our way out. Ate a macaroon on the drive home and can't wait to eat the black and white cookie. This is the kind of place you dine in because of the ambiance, great food and service ! Ample parking on the street and they have a lot! Macaroons from bakery omg delicious!

My first time at Canter's deli & it did not disappoint! When we walked in, my girlfriend asked if…read morewe can sit at the table where Jerry Seinfeld did his Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee episode and they sat us right there. Also telling us that an epiosde of Euphoria was also filmed there as well! We were served by Ana who reccomended the Fossier and we are so glad she did! It is a pastrami & corned beef sandwich usually served on rye but we substituted sourdough! It comes with a side of cole slaw and potatoe salad which are both amazing! Me and my girlfriend a fries fiends so we ordered a half order and they were DELICIOUS! The owner, Jacqueline Canter, served us 2 complimentary sweet pastry that were also so yummy and she proceeded to tell us her own stories with different celebrities who have dined at this welcoming establishment! You can't go wrong stopping in. It feels as if you're walking straight into your family's place! Stop in for a quick bite from something at the counter, a date, or time with family! Its a great place for it all! Parking is free for 1 1/2 hours with validation for dining in or 30 mins with bakery/deli purchase!

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Canter's Deli - Bakery counter

Bakery counter

Canter's Deli - Avocado Melt Sandwich

Avocado Melt Sandwich

Canter's Deli - Strawberry Cheesecake

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Strawberry Cheesecake

The Griddle Cafe - The best French toast I've ever had

The Griddle Cafe

4.1(7k reviews)
1.0 mi•Hollywood Hills West
•$$

On a recent visit to LA, my family had breakfast at the Griddle Cafe. I remember coming here many…read moreyears ago and loving this place. I can see why it has been here for so long and why it is so busy. Huge portions and really delicious food. The restaurant can get quite loud and busy, but it's a fun atmosphere! My wife and I got an order of the Bananana pancakes. We got two pancakes which was still way too much food for the two of us. The pancakes were delicious with strong flavors of banana and cinnamon. We also got the "Some Like It Hot." I love the scramble with the pico de gallo and the delicious sauce. The only thing I didn't love were the tortilla chips. Some of them were not very crispy. My daughter had the blue berry pancakes, which were also huge and really delicious.

I really wanted to like this place, unfortunately it didn't deliver. Would i come back again? I…read moredon't think so. And the reason is because their menu is limited l, and there really isn't anything I would want to give a try Here is the reason for the 3 stars: Food - 3 stars: had a few items. Omelet my soul, egg white omelet with chicken, and blueberry pancakes. Omelet my soul was ok. Needed a little more flavor. Egg white omelet was on. Pancakes wayyyy to big not my thing but I guess people like that. Prices - 4 stars: prices were on with the majority of the prices being at $18.99. Not bad considering Facility and staff - 4 stars: location is on the boulevard so parking can be a challenge. Inside was nice, staff was friendly but server never showed up after taking the order. We finished our omelets and we're ready to enjoy our pancakes which took most of the space on the table. But we couldn't start enjoying it because our empty plates were still infront of us. I had to place the empty plates on the empty table next to us. Not a fan of that. Wasn't pleased unfortunately, but perhaps your experience will differ. Come give them a try

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The Griddle Cafe
The Griddle Cafe - Pumpkin pancakes

Pumpkin pancakes

The Griddle Cafe - French press and real maple syrup

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French press and real maple syrup

Dialog Cafe - The Sun Rose - TCHO Mocha Latte

Dialog Cafe - The Sun Rose

4.6(3.2k reviews)
0.3 mi
•$$

Wow! I had heard how great this place was in the Equinox in West LA, then when we were staying…read moreover in West Hollywood, every time I walked by this Dialog location there was a long line. On top of that, an influencer who I always listen to highly recommended to go to this Dialog. So, my husband and I joined the long line, which went by fast and efficiently. All the food coming out smelled so good! And the menu had everything I love. On top of that, their prices are good, compared to their competitors. We each got a cafe mocha, that was made with the amazing TCHO chocolate, and we were really impressed. Then we shared the most delicious Asian chicken salad! It reminded me of my other favorite Asian chicken salad from Stanley's in Sherman Oaks. Before this, I had not found one in years that had compared. The service was also excellent, especially for a fast casual place, The owner was also walking around making sure each table was good. It was obvious that he really cared about his customers. I will definitely be coming back to this West Hollywood location, on top of trying the West LA Equinox Location. Also, this SunRose location on Sunset, is relatively new, since their original West Hollywood location had a water leak caused from the street which was out of their control. They certainly were able to pivot and thrive again. Not to mention, they have been around now for 2 generations. I always ask my favorite places, that it would be so great if they can come closer to me in Westlake Village. Can't wait to try more items. Next on my list to try is one of their bagel or croissant sandwiches.

This place was bomb! 10 out of 10 would recommend going here. My boyfriend and I stayed at the…read moresunrose hotel in West Hollywood for a little staycation, and this place is at the bottom of the hotel. The vibe inside is so cool. Tons of seating, very clean. The service is awesome, it's like a well oiled machine there. They have incredible options for food, and the coffee is awesome. My boyfriend and I tried multiple drinks and food items over the three days, but my favorite was definitely the date smoothie. He had an incredible breakfast burrito that I got to try a bite of as well. I also loved the Americano with the unsweetened almond milk. Super bold espresso, but not bitter. Will definitely be coming back to Los Angeles for this place!!!

Photos
Dialog Cafe - The Sun Rose - Tcho Chocolate Chip Cookie

Tcho Chocolate Chip Cookie

Dialog Cafe - The Sun Rose
Dialog Cafe - The Sun Rose - Our little indulgence...shhh, don't tell anyone (mini, to keep the calories to a minimum)

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Our little indulgence...shhh, don't tell anyone (mini, to keep the calories to a minimum)

Mel's Drive-In - tradamerican - Updated October 2026

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