Finally got the chance to try the new "Mel's Kitchen" for a late lunch today. I was greeted promptly and was alone, so I sat at the bar. The server was friendly and prompt. The menu is much smaller than the old diner menu, and it's much more toward "California cuisine" rather than just diner food. I opted for the ahi poke salad, which had pieces of ahi, avocado, mango, and some other stuff artfully presented on a bed of friseé lettuce with some wonton chips and a light drizzle of a soy dressing. I thought it was very tasty as well as light and refreshing. Prices are on the high side -- Mel's was never an inexpensive place to eat, and the new prices are probably 25-30% higher, on average, then before. But I didn't think the ahi salad was horribly overpriced for SF -- it was $18. I'd have called $16 "reasonable" at a full-service restaurant (which this is.) I will go back and try more. This is a long-time SF business and I want to see them succeed as they try to adapt to changing times and changing tastes. read more

With my sweetie for his back surgery in SF. This restaurant was conveniently connected to the Marriott Courtyard hotel where we stayed. Usual diner menu but it was all good. There was also a full bar to help with my stress read more

I came in around 640am This morning 3/17/19. The service and atmosphere was lovely and the bathrooms were very clean. I ordered the Chicken and Waffles to go as I was just getting off work and just wanted to go home. Once I got home I opened my box and the chicken was extremely dark and chewy the waffles were over cooked and dry. I probably won't return unless it's for a little whiskey and coffee read more

Mel's Kitchen - Rubbery Chicken Strip - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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19.01.16. First visit after reboot Single dish/visit review ... Draft Wanted to try the dry aged streak, gratin dish Next time Hamburger - 3.5 Fries - well done - 4 Service - 4.5 Hamburger As requested ... Med rare ... Matters to me (Many places overshoot it ... Texture and juiciness difference) Butter lettuce Sauteed onions Pickle slices (possibly homemade) read more

(rounding up to 3 stars due to the joint is new and probably still has some getting pains) sorry for the winded review. Ambience: clinical, which could be good due to the hospital next door. There are no signs of the old Mel's except for a lonely, mini jukebox. I'm not sure if they will get more decor. Music is house lounge. The place is very clean. Service: the staff is nice. We were informed the original staff still works there. They maintain the joint during the day shift. (Good karma points for Management) I did not like how our main server lacked the listening skills when he asked how our meal was. He didn't bother to really comment on my feedback, he was halfway turning around when he asked the question. Oh well. Food: meh. Appetizers: artichokes. There were a total of two artichokes, cut in halves. You can tell they were pre-boiled and then placed on the grill for very little charring. It's not really artichoke season, so I'm not sure how they'll maintain this dish. Would not recommend. Tuna: it was sesame crusted, seared, cold and bland. Served with wild rice which was overcooked and had the consistency of Chinese sweet rice cakes. If they seasoned the fish, I may reorder Fried chicken: one leg, one breast, served with mashed potatoes and mustard greens. Chicken was cooked well but again, very bland. It seemed whomever was doing the main dishes forgot about the salt. Potatoes and greens were 2nd best dish. Impossible Burger: lab grown veggie burger, served with french fries. The fries were cooked almost perfect but... No seasoning. The "burger" was cold and the consistency felt like low-quality ground beef. We have never had it before so it was more of an experiment. Will not order again. Cocktails: if you order a drink, ask for regular ice, not craft. Their craft ice is so big that my overall drink (a cocktail, mind you) was just barely over 1.5 ounces, due to the volume the ball of ice took up. They are $12 each. Pricing: $$$ 3 drinks, 3 entrees, appetizer and shared salad = $180 w/ tip read more

Have you seen the new Mel's?! Full bar with speciality cocktails, ahi tuna, fried chicken and cubano sandwiches, and an amazing staff! If you are heading to a movie, in the neighborhood or want to try something new, check it out! read more

Mel's is a great new spot. A modern take on the American diner. The food was good, the service was speedy. read more

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This kitchen is the best not only did my plate looked perfect it was deliciously exquisitely tasting. I really wanted to order it again and have it again but I wouldn't my tummy was was full. Definitely will stop here when ever in town. read more

Best experience I've had at any restaurant in a long time! Great decor and a thoughtfully traditional menu. I came by for dinner after a long day of work with some coworkers, and not only was our service excellent, but the food and cocktails were spot on. I had the meatloaf dinner with mashed potatoes and veggies, and as a man who admires a good meatloaf, it was top notch. Also, the bartender whipped up a White-Russian worthy of The Dude himself (for all the Lebowski fans). My coworkers got the Patty-melt and the Cajun chicken sandwich and were raving about them as well. To top it all off, I called them a week later because I had misplaced the receipt I needed to turn in for work. The manager Ricardo took time out of his busy night and emailed me my receipt! You don't get service like that anymore. Can't recommend this place highly enough. read more

Ensured customers had proof of vaccination is excellent showing they comply with SF regulations. Latte was hot enough it did not cool throughout the meal. Freshly squeezed OJ was spot on. I got the homemade corned beef hash with eggs over easy. Yummmm! My son said the burger was delicious. Servers were attentive. read more

Mel's Kitchen - Homemade corned beef hash with eggs over easy. Burger in the back. - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We were coming out of the movies. My husband was suspicious of this Mel's Drive In upscale-ish revamp and wanted to cross the street and go to Tommy's Joynt instead. I insisted we give it a go, and now I wish I hadn't. The butter lettuce salad I ordered was overdressed. The fuji apple cubes were small, few, and mealy rather than crisp. The extra $7 for the top sirloin seemed reasonable, but the meat came well done and not medium rare as I ordered. We were served water in small cups, and I soon ran out of it. Had to ask a different server for more water since our original server forgot about us until we were practically done eating. My husband was underwhelmed by his southern chicken, which he said was bland. Now for the kids' menu: "spinach pesto" pasta? Our child insisted on pasta and that's what they had. Needless to say the kid didn't eat one bit of it. The apple juice didn't come with the food. We had to remind them, and when the check came two apple juices had been added. Husband pointed that to the waiter, who DOUBTED US, insisting that yes, we'd ordered two juices. After some back and forth he apologized and said it'd be hard to take it off the tab, and that he'd offer us an apple juice to go. I wanted to raise a stink--those were $4 apple juices--but my diplomatic husband, minding the late hour and our child's bedtime, went with it, comforting himself with the promise of never coming back. It was a bad idea to displace Mel's Drive In with its winning, expansive diner menu. But above all, those people will regret treating their patrons like crap. read more

We were in town for appointments at CPMC and Staying at Courtyard. We decided to try this place since they were finally back open. They did not disappoint. So glad they are open again and so glad we stopped in. This will be our go to when we are in town. read more

We had such a delicious meal!! Steak, short rib grilled cheese (YUM), and a strawberry milkshake. Secret Tip: Get the dirty martini!! Antonia makes em good :) We live nearby and will definitely be back soon! read more

My friends and I came here for brunch before flying out of the city. We ordered French toast and chicken & waffle with coffee. All really good! And there was bacon in my waffle! I was shocked to see that this place had a low rating. I especially loved the modern upscale diner style. Definitely recommend. read more

Mel's Kitchen - Chicken & waffle (with bacon bits inside) - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is the restaurant attached to The Opal Hotel were a friend and I stayed during our trip to San Fran. One morning we called decided to call down an order for a light breakfast and coffee. When I called, the call got disconnected while I was placing my order, but the person that answered the phone called me right back! The food was good, a little expensive (we ordered a side of bacon, a coffee and two sodas=$18 with our 10% discount for staying at the hotel). read more

Solid 3 nothing special really I live right next to it so I go there but I would go out of my way to eat here. Its over priced average diner fair. Some food items were below average but overall a solid 3. Much better breakfast at cheaper pricing nearby. Staff are good people though, and when I get my morning screwdriver they have fresh squeezed OJ. read more

Tried out the new Mel's after a movie yesterday and had a terrible experience. With the new decor and higher prices, I expected better. Food: I had the Impossible Burger, which was quite good but that credit mostly goes to Impossible Foods, not Mel's. They did put it on a tasty wheat bun with some sprouts, which I liked. But they charged an extra $4 for me to replace the accompanying fries with a salad, and the salad was literally a bowl of lettuce and tomatoes with no dressing. My boyfriend had the Ahi Poke Salad, which was not good at all - heavy and smothered in sauce rather than fresh. Service: We went around 3pm and it was not busy at all. Our original server seemed friendly enough but there was a shift change right after he took our order. The new server never checked on us until a half hour later when he brought out the food. There is no reason it should've taken that long as there was only a couple of other diners - I also saw my burger sitting on their counter for half that time while they prepared the rest of the order, I guess. Most of the kitchen staff seemed to be just standing around talking to each other so who knows that the holdup was? After bringing our food, our sever never came by again so I couldn't ask him for condiments, water, or some dressing for my salad. He was chatty enough with some other people that came in later and we overheard him joking about still being hungover from the night before. Guess that's his excuse for bad service? Ambiance: The new decor looks nice and the bathrooms were fancy. One star for that? Originally, I thought maybe they were still figuring things out with the new menu, but other reviews indicate they've been open three months now so they should have their act together. I might go to the other drive-ins for their curly fries and milkshakes but won't be frequenting this location again. read more

Our most recent visit to Mel's Kitchen was the third and was just as enjoyable as the first two times. I don't ordinarily get over to the Van Ness & Geary area, except on those occasions when I am keeping an appointment with a healthcare professional at CPMC. As before, my wife ordered the superb southern fried chicken, which was just right: moist on the inside and just enough crispy batter on the outside. The 'comfort food' meat loaf I had was equally stellar. Friendly, attentive, and efficient service. Clean, pleasant environment. And the music of the 1950s ala Mel's Drive-In days went well with the meal. Wha'can'I'say ...?!? Will most certainly recommend to friends and colleagues, plus publicize on Facebook. Keep on keepin' on...! read more

LOVED this diner! The interior is stunning, it's really clean, bathrooms are so thoughtfully designed it blew me away (trash is right next to door handle). Primo runs the dining room and is great as is the food. read more

Popped in after a movie last night. My friend and i shared the Grilled artichoke, which was pretty good and we split the cheeseburger with french fries.The food was good and it was nice that they have a full bar ( my friend had a Negroni what she said was pretty good) We did however have an issue with part of the service. The order was taken and the food was served in a timely manner, however we sat there 20 min after our plates were cleared waiting for our check. The check was actually never even brought to us, I finally got annoyed and went up to the front and had to ask for it. Kind of weird and uncommon to have your table cleared and then be ignored.... other then that, i give them a thumbs up. read more

Me and my boyfriend came here this morning,I'm handicap confined to crutches but use a mobile scooter while on outings.we arnt from San Francisco and it wasn't until we were passing Mel's kitchen diner my battery was dying, originally we were headed to eat at Denny's we decided since the prices seemed fair and there were great reviews it was perfect.upon entering the man working the front desk was already extremely rude so we asked if we can sit near a plug to charge my scooter he says yes and points in the direction of our table.i first plug my scooter in he comes to take our order didn't ask if we wanted drinks we couldn't even get one work out without him aggressively telling us that we have to pay before eating I was so embarrassed we decided to ignore it at first until my boyfriend who is African American asks the man is it mandatory to pay before eating and was asking if other customers paid first the man was so rude an tells us loud enough to where everyone looked at us an said pay or leave or I'm calling the police then looks at my boyfriend and says you don't scare me an stood up to my boyfriend I was so embarrassed we asked him his name I think it was Richards or Ricardo he wouldn't let us see but it was today at 7:30 we left my boyfriend had to push my scooter an me while it was dead all the way to Denny's SMH I will be calling to speak to the manager and if they don't fire that employee that completely embarrassed us idk if he was discriminate against me o my boyfriend but it was wrong on so many levels I am going to make sure that nobody ever has to experience what we did today.i felt ashamed because we were so looking forward to enjoying our what we thought to be destined breakfast their to have to leave with feeling embarrassed and TBH pissed off.i will be calling corporate if something isn't done and hopefully the next time we try to enjoy our meals there we actually can.if you took the time to read this thank u and please give me and other veiwers some input on what you might have done or if you think I am doing the right thing..thank you read more

Don't know what all these people are bitching about but Mel's Kitchen is fantastic! My family and I had wonderful service there with incredible and classic American food. It honestly makes me sad to see those reviews on such a wholesome place coming from those people. Easily 5 stars. read more

I asked for well done burger and they served me a bloody burger. Disgusting and disappointing. Lol the fries were good though read more

Mel's Kitchen - I asked for a well done burger and this is what I got. They didn't even try. Very disappointing!!! - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

My meal was pretty good but it was pricey for sure. But then again everything is in the time of covid.

Really not worth it.......... Don't try it. Food was very bland and very small amount of portions . Expensive prices .

i reviewed Mels several months ago. gave them a semi lukewarm rating due to poor service. went back recently. review is no longer lukeward. It is now icecold. without going into whole story. gist was, ate lunch then ordered dessert, a chocolate sundie. waited, waited, waited, when i rea;ozed had been waiting for over half hour i got up and left. again there were about six people. Something is badly wrong with the service in this Mels. but look on the good side, now that they have one less customer perhaps the rest of you will get better service. I will no longer be returning and i will take my large tips with me. the manager, i believe her name is Antonia should really take a good look at her serving staff. or perhaps Antonias bosses should take a good look at her. I might consider returning is if the staff and especially antonia were to apologize to me personally. Hey Mels, you dont stay in business long if you treat your customers the way your staff treats people. im sorry you guys but no more nice tips. read more

Stopped by this place while walking around town in the afternoon. Space is cool, very modern, and updated. Place was pretty much dead and empty. First impression, prices were a little high. Thought I would stay & give it a shot. Ordered the breakfast burrito & a coke, total was $21.93 including tax. Burrito was ok size, flavor was pretty great, presentation also good. I would say maybe for a nice dinner or lunch business meeting this place is good, but if you're looking for something that won't kill the budget this probably isn't your place. I also couldn't understand, I went in the afternoon, place was dead but I literally had to ask for everything. Utensils, refills, a check. Who else are you serving? It was me and one other table. There's other places I bwould probably go before I'll be back here. read more

Mel's Kitchen - Breakfast Burrito - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

I really enjoyed the food at this restaurant. It was my first time there going tonight with a friend of mine. Although the food was great, our waiter was being very rude to me since I was asking all these questions regarding deals on their menu and that sort of thing. I wasn't doing it to waste his time, but to make sure I was actually getting the things I wanted. I don't like that sort of customer service. Be more patient, for god sakes! read more

Food doesn't seem as tasty as the 3 Mel's Drive-Ins in SF. Avoid the corned beef hash, one of my favorites, but both my friend and I thought it had a weird "aftertaste"... should have sent it back, but we were to hungry to wait. Would go here vs other Mel's Drive-ins only if you want alcohol with your meal... or in the neighborhood. Menu missing some of the staple entrees the drive -ins have, like the turkey dinner. read more

Stopped in for late lunch; great food. Had the Mel's Cubano, wings, Asian Salad. Service was friendly and fast with Stephani

I loved it! I liked the whole large windows and San Francisco Vibes this restaurant offered. Very Nice and quite impressive for a Mel's Restaurant. Bathrooms are nice and clean! Good mixture of drinks and bar set, something you won't find in the Eastbay. I would recommend this location although the drinks may add up your tab. read more

We saw Mel's Kitchen as we drove past on a Tuesday night and decided to stop by to grab something to eat. We were promptly greeted and seated by our lovely server, Lorenzo. Our food came out quickly and it didn't take long before our food was gobbled up. Satisfactory for a quick bite, but even better with an Oreo milkshake! read more

My server Ricardo was fantastic! The cooks did a great job too. All my food was awesome! The entire staff was all working so hard the whole time. Great service all around! read more

Ricardo was excellent! We stopped by for a quick drink and ended up staying longer than expected. Ricardo waited on us, gave us delicious recommendations on drinks and was very attentive. Great smile and attitude. If you're in the area stop by for a Sutter Break ! read more

What a terrible experience! I came in with my husband and daughter to grab some food. We stood by the sign that says "wait to be seated" without being addressed for about 5 minutes until I stepped up and asked the cashier Marcos where the bathroom was. After he made eye contact and ignored me I asked in MY FIRST LANGUAGE Spanish. He ignored me again and I asked if he spoke Spanish. He said "yes, I just don't respond to that?" Utterly confused, I asked what I said and he mimicked me with a gringo accent saying "el baño". I pointed out that I had asked in English first and he said "I know I'm just offended now, but I'll tell you where it is"... I apologized and walked out...wth?! Why couldn't I just be directed to the bathroom or seated? All of the extra stuff was extremely unnecessary and anal. I'm a travel agent and will be sure to warn my clients against this place. People who hate their job make for an awful customer service experience. I'm heading to in and out where I know the customer service will be amazing! read more

Got an update on the coffee situation. They don't charge extra for each refill. We were offered a refund on the charge as they want to make sure customers are aware they won't be charged to keep their coffee mugs filled. It was good coffee too! Thank you guys! read more

We were stuck at CPMC for a procedure so I decided to take my mom to eat breakfast across the street at Mels. The host( I think he may have been the mgr) was very pleasant. He asked for our ids and vax cards. I was surprised and excited that I finally got to show my card to someone. Lol. Sooooo I was totally sidetracked because I received a phone call from the nurse after I ordered my food so I did not take pics of the menu or the food. But let me tell you.... the Chilaquiles my mom ordered were good! I was shocked. Of course, i had to run across the street and by the time I came back our food was at the table and my plate was a tiny bit cold. Not Mels fault. But my mom had ate all her Chilaquiles by the time I got back and I only got to try a tiny bit. My food was good. I ordered the Country Fresh Eggs breakfast and I cant complain. My only regret is leaving the restaurant and coming back to my mom eating all her Chilaquiles because they were so good. I'll have to come back to order them another time. I definitely recommend this spot. read more

Great food and service! Awesome interior and concept. Has a very upscale feel and sleek design.

Great breakfast place! Their fries are *mwah* perfect! Very friendly staff and very attentive without being annoying. I had a BLT and my friend had a chicken sandwich and both were great hangover food. A little expensive but definitely worth it! read more

The Oreo milkshake is to die for - and the fries are the best! This should be everyone's go to diner spot.