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    Mel's Kitchen

    3.6 (321 reviews)
    Open 6:30 am - 11:00 pm

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    MEL'S KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Menu
    Danielle B.

    This is a San Francisco diner, staple with quick service lots of variety. I got the Caesar salad with salmon. I would say the Caesar salad was quite drenched in dressing, so maybe get it on the side if you're not into that and the salmon unfortunately was cooked as if they put a hamburger press on it and very well done. I probably sick to something more like the breakfast or burgers and fries next time the place itself was clean inviting, and the staff were very attentive.

    Hope D.

    I had a wonderful experience here given it is alike a diner. I came late night around 11pm. The staff were so kind and accommodating. The drinks and the food were delicious. We had breakfast for dinner, steak, and a slider with fries. The vibes are somewhat rustic but very modern, which gives it that clean feel. I will be back.

    Clam Chowder Sourdough Bowl
    Julia L.

    Came here 09/13/25 at around 3 pm. Inside was quite nice and spacious. Since it's not dinner time, there were plenty of seats. Friendly staff. Ordered a clam chowder bowl w bread bowl ($13.95). Very creamy clam chowder. The bread wasn't sour enough but overall a good pick. -0.5 The chicken Caesar avocado wrap ($~19) was quite disappointing. The fries were good but ... The dressing was overwhelming and the chicken was slighly dry. And the most important avocado was nowhere to be seen? They either mixed into the sauce or it was chopped into super tiny slices because.... yeah. I couldn't find it. -1.5 Overall, it was an OK place to sit down and dine. Very spacious and a corner spot w pleanty of sunlight. But... it didn't wow me.

    Onion ring Fries combo- Seriously one of the best fries!
    Karen T.

    I came for a snack, fries and onion rings combo with a iris coffee. I wasn't expecting anything amazing just something to hold me over until dinner. I wasn't expecting anything blown away! They made perfectly crispy delicious French fries, seriously one of the best I've had in a long time! And onion rings were so good, I think it's Vidalia onions . My iris coffee kept me warm, service was great! Those fries could be on a fancy restaurant's menu for double the price!

    Penguin Shake (vanilla and chocolate mix)
    Ronni T.

    Food was very good here as well as the service. The servers are attentive and quick to serve. Arrived and checked in to our hotel early. Got hungry and decided to check out this 50s diner. It was a franchise for Mels drive in. I've been to Mels before but this one felt more cozy and homey. I ordered the mel burger since I was craving a burger and my boyfriend ordered the chicken steak dinner. The food was tasty. No complaints at all. Shakes are very good too. We got the penguin shake and split it. Definitely a good meal to unwind for the day! Will be back!

    French Dip
    Lisa A.

    Had to come back for the French dip again! I guess you can say I'm a-dip-ted haha I also ordered their Santa Fe salad because I have to be a little bit healthy ....i guess. Salad was delicious and fresh that I didn't even need dressing for it. The service was slower than usual that day but they're forgiven because the manager gave me a slice of chocolate cake for the wait! Still 5 stars in my book!

    Abel A.

    Service was slow but staff was courteous. Burger was ok with decent flavor but over-cooked for my liking. Restaurant was clean.

    Variety Platter
    Nicole D.

    Very convenient to the hotel I stayed which helped with each morning for breakfast! It is on a busy street so I think if you are staying within walking distance it's a perfect spot. The staff was very friendly and greeted you when you came in and also wished you a good night at the end of your meal. The history of this place is amazing and I encourage you to read about them. The coffee was amazing and strong! I looked forward to drinking it each morning. The food was great also. They have a manageable menu with the diner must-haves that made each meal great for us. French toast and pancakes were so good. Their turkey bacon was nicely cooked too. They also have milkshakes and alcohol. My husband likee their club sandwich and it was a good portion. Their apple pie was so good, you tasted all of the ingredients. Your one stop shop! When I visit again, this place is my go to. You do have to deal with homeless sleeping on the street which is very inviting fortunate but that was only one day so we didn't sit by the window. It's a clean location and very nice decor like a diner should be. Prices are reasonable. Looking forward to coming back.

    Carlene W.

    A no-frills diner that hits the spot in terms of breakfast, but wasn't much to write home about otherwise. It's convenient, especially for those staying at the attached hotel, but there's better out there of course. We still went twice in our week stay, appreciating the quick service, mimosas, and ease of access when we had plans coming up.

    Solomon C.

    The best corned beef hash I have had to date. But to be honest I have only been to 4 or 5 spots that didn't just open a can and say presto corned beef. With that said its the best on a short list but dang it was sooooo good. My o ly real.grip is portion size and thats just me. 6/5 on flavor. The waiter was good and the place was nice and cozy on the inside. The location across the street from the hospital is a definite plus.

    Breakfast sausage and eggs.
    Pablo R.

    It's a very convenient restaurant because of its location and business hours. The place is very clean, and service is fairly effective. However, nothing about their food is particularly special or unique. For instance, last time I ate there the potatoes weren't fully cooked and very unappetizing. That's been my only real "bad experience". I've walked in for breakfast three times so far.

    *Albacore Tuna Sandwich
    Felinn A.

    Good spot to grab dinner before a show. We were a block away from the great American music hall and decided to check this out for dinner. No crazy thrills but easy American diner food serving breakfast and other classics. Tried the albacore tuna sandwich and it was tasty! Crispy bread, melty cheese and yummy tuna filling. On the pricier side but makes sense being in SF. Service was easy, nice and clean inside especially their bathrooms. Good experience overall for a very casual dinner out.

    Buttermilk Pancakes
    Cauê H.

    Stopped by this spot for breakfast and had a good experience. The place has a really nice vibe and the ambiance is great. The staff was friendly and polite, which made the visit even better. The food was tasty -- nothing over the top, but well prepared and it definitely hit the spot. Overall, it was a positive experience and a solid choice if you're looking for a nice breakfast in the area. (Little bit expensive)

    Huevos Rancheros with chicken

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    4 months ago

    The food was delicious especially their hamburger and reasonable price. Totally recommend

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    4 months ago

    It was okay, coffee was a little cold service was a little slowbut it is super clean and the staff is super friendly.

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    9 months ago

    I had the most bland and untasty fried chicken.I've ever had in my life. Absolutely no taste at all.What a waste of money

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    Terrene

    Terrene

    4.1
    (207 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    The food is very good - we've been here twice and had great food all around…read more Our first visit we had some trouble with the service, feeling rushed thru for what is a pretty expensive dinner, but the team there contacted us after (we had a reservation so they had our email) and they made it right by inviting us back as guest of Rob, the Bev Mgr. The 2nd visit the service was impeccable, everything went exactly as we had hoped. We will be back. We can recommend the scallops and the Salmon, the chicken was very tasty. Also, for the food, I recommend the dips and the fresh pitas, so good. We'll be back just for that. Reminds me of the old Berkeley restaurant years ago, Holy Land (IYKYK). Mmmm. Thanks!

    We each ordered the sunrise sandwich - one with bacon and one with sausage. The sausage was super…read morethin and dry. The bacon was fine. The sandwich comes with a small dressed salad and three tomato halves. It was nice. The potatoes served with the sandwich were roasted but served cold and dry. Like they were left over from the night before. Randy enjoyed his mocha. We shared a very dry, flavorless except for the two small bits of jam in them, "cheese" danish. Definitely skip this $7 item that you could get at a circle k for $1.50 and it would taste fresher. You order when you walk in and someone delivers your order and then you're left to fend for yourself. We were able to locate some ketchup for the potatoes on our own. Nobody ever checked on us. This is the second place on this visit that's charging an extra 5% fee so that their employees can have a living wage and health insurance, which absolutely, every employee should have. With the prices they charge, they should already be able to do that, though. I read an article about this fee with many different names and I would rather pay a bit higher of a price and know the employees were taken care of than be surprised by this fee later. Two sandwich breakfasts, a mocha and a danish on top of tax and their healthy sf fee was $63. Steep for the quality we got. Won't be back.

    Photos
    Terrene Lounge
    Terrene Lounge
    Steak and eggs
    Steak and eggs
    Seared scallops

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    Seared scallops
    Hillstone

    Hillstone

    4.0
    (2.7k reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$$

    Hillstone is a favorite among Telegraph Hill locals. My go-to's here are their French dip or lamb…read moresandwiches for lunch, and salmon or rotisserie chicken + artichoke for dinner. Good wine and cocktail selection from the bar. I would pass on their burgers though which are mediocre. What makes this place 5-stars is the service and ambiance. Some of their staff have been there for several years, which is a testament to how well the restaurant is run. Since it's along the Embarcadero and close to Fisherman's Wharf, a lot of tourists tend to wander in. And this is probably why their website says there's a strict dress code. But I feel comfortable coming here in shorts and a t-shirt. The staff is always welcoming. I also go to the Los Altos Grill which is the same restaurant as Hillstone. The menu is pretty much the same, but the service at Hillstone is just excellent.

    Skip it. The food…read morewas very good, the attitude of the hostess made us feel like they didn't want us there. They won't seat parties of over 5 together-fine, they've got nice booths. Then they said "please don't move around so we can get the right food to you" which, like fine but that's not the reason they didn't want us to move. You're aiming for a hoity toity atmosphere, we can move plates around. There's an obnoxious but unenforced dress code (no jerseys then someone came in with a jersey and was as seated, no baseball hats...), but the straw that broke the camels back was when the hostess asked me to stay seated while I was seated. My 4 year old needed entertainment as we were paying the bill, we were in our last few minutes there and she told me that I had to stay in my seat. Which I was. They didn't get the order right for said 4 year old: hamburger, no cheese. Showed up with cheese. If you don't want kids in your restaurant, just turn people away. But also you're on the Embarcadero, not in a fancy neighborhood. Overpriced by 20%.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Grilled artichokes
    Grilled artichokes
    Knife & fork barbecue ribs

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    Knife & fork barbecue ribs

    Mel's Kitchen - tradamerican - Updated July 2026

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