Randy Petersen

Stopped in here to try the Braised Short Rib Dinner and wasn't disappointed. The meat was tender and flavorful, and the helping size was ample and filling. The service was fast and friendly and the price was reasonable. The atmoshere is fifties style diner with diner food right in the heart of downtown San Francisco. If you're in the area, check this place out and you won't be disappointed.

Debbie Christofferson

Hectic dinner, the staff are busy and running, the food is great with plentiful servings and choices, and they do a great job of herding the masses. It's RSAC 2025, so the restaurant was packed. We had fresh tasty food, for onstage the perfectly poached eggs on avocado toast, and the corned beef hash and potatoes were fresh. Sausage had good taste. Toast served dry, which I don't prefer, as it's too cold to butter. Had to ask for coffee refill. Good end to end service from the time of walking in the door, great front end management, good cooks back there, fast wait staff. It was busy!

+2

Brooke Nodeland

We were in town for a conference last week and stopped in twice, once for lunch and once for breakfast. Both times, the service and food were wonderful! A bit pricey for diner food, but the quality of the food and the ambiance made it worth it. My husband enjoyed the reuben and corned beef hash and I had the burrito. The ingredients were fresh, the portions were large, and the fresh squeezed orange juice was delicious. We had a big day planned after breakfast, and were in and out quickly despite the restaurant becoming increasingly busy. Overall, we had a great experience and look forward to eating here again on our next visit!

+7

Great atmosphere, stylish and comfortable restaurant. Cofee and breakfasts are huge and tasty. Price worthy! Staff is neat and helpful.

Great atmosphere, stylish and comfortable restaurant. Cofee and breakfasts are huge and tasty. Price worthy! staff is neat and helpful.

Great atmosphere, stylish and comfortable restaurant. Cofee and breakfasts are huge and tasty. Price worthy! Staff is neat and helpful.

Nice breakfast, good service, friendly waiting staff/servers . Now that Dennys across the street has permanently closed I had breakfast here instead! Two eggs over easy , fried potatoes, toast ,…

Nice breakfast, good service, friendly waiting staff/servers . Now that Dennys across the street has permanently closed I had breakfast here instead! Two eggs over easy , fried potatoes, toast ,…

Nice breakfast, good service, friendly waiting staff/servers . Now that Dennys across the street has permanently closed I had breakfast here instead! Two eggs over easy , fried potatoes, toast , t…

I am a regular here each time I pass thro San Francisco. It is conveniently located for the Conference Center and has a great atmosphere. I recommed the French Toast

I'm an old guy, and I want the same kind of food that I got in my younger days. Only one place to go Mel's diner. I got a cheeseburger fries and one of their thick milkshakes, good service and supe…

Great diner atmosphere with various meal options. We ordered the veggie omelet and the avocado burrito. Both dishes came out fast and fresh. There could have a bit more of seasoning. Nonetheless the portion size was great. The coffee tasted good too.

Mel’s Drive-In is one of those classic San Francisco institutions that I find myself returning to whenever I’m in the city. I’ve visited several times over the years, and it’s become a bit of a tradition when I’m stateside, largely because of the nostalgic American diner atmosphere and reliably good comfort food. I visited again yesterday morning for breakfast. Despite it being fairly busy, I was seated quickly and my order was taken promptly, which immediately set a positive tone. The staff were friendly, attentive, and efficient without being rushed, which is exactly what you want from a casual diner setting. For breakfast, I ordered a sourdough sandwich with egg, bacon, and cheese, along with refill drip coffee. The food arrived in good time and, overall, the meal was absolutely delicious. The sourdough was fresh and flavourful, and the filling was generous and satisfying. The coffee refills were also appreciated and helped round off the experience nicely. The only slight criticism would be that the hash potatoes were a little undercooked, which was disappointing but not enough to ruin the meal. The main drawback, however, was the price. The total bill came to just under $30. I fully appreciate that San Francisco is an expensive city and that dining costs reflect that, but it still feels quite steep for what is essentially a fairly modest breakfast. That said, you are also paying for the location, the experience, and the diner’s long-standing reputation. Overall, Mel’s Drive-In delivers a reliable, enjoyable diner experience with friendly service and tasty food. If you’re visiting San Francisco and want a classic American breakfast in an iconic setting, it’s certainly worth trying — particularly if you’re prepared for the higher price point.

Royce Bussey

Went here for the first time on 11/18/25 while in town for Microsoft Ignite. I went back two more times. I didn't get a pic of my plate the second time, I was so ready to dig in. First day I had 2 eggs, bacon, hash browns, and wheat toast. The second visit I had the same thing, just did it with sausage, and the last visit I had the short stack , eggs, and bacon. The food was really good here. The only complaint, the first time, it look like some burned grill scrapings got in my eggs, but other than that no issue. Service was great, and the food was good. If I'm ever back in San Francisco, I will definitely be going here. I highly recommend checking them out.

SamisTina Samara

The food was delicious I ordered the New Yorker with the 3 eggs and it’s delicious!! Their service isn’t attentive they tend to talk amongst each other too much. They are nice people! I also tried their dessert the Apple Crisp and was huge for the price.

jouhaina

Even though the restaurant was packed, we were seated quickly. The service was excellent and efficient, the food was fresh and delicious, and the menu offered a great variety with something for everyone. Highly recommend and would definitely return.

Christian Hansen

Went here and tried the Mel's burger which was really nice. I liked the extra thick bacon slices, the patty itself was just slightly overcooked, but besides that no real complaints. The fries were the usual thin ones, which are not my favourite but gets the job done. The iced tea was quite refreshing. The service was decent, while the server was nice and friendly, they did forget to remove the onions as I had requested plus forgot about giving me the receipt. Really cool place with some nice visuals, definitely feels like an old timey diner.

Shawn Gorey

Good food, good service, retro atmosphere. We got the Famous Melburger with Bacon and Crumbled Blue Cheese, the Short Rib Slider, Garlic Parm Fries, and an Oreo Malt. The burger, fries, and malt were great. The Short Rib Slider was alright, but not exactly what I was hoping for. It was kind of like Grandma's pot roast in a bun. The place filled up quickly but the service was good. I felt bad because we asked few a few different things over a service of trips instead of a single request, but they took care of us anyway. The atmosphere is what you'd expect from a 1950s diner. The jukeboxes on the table were cool but it was too loud inside to actually use them.

Michael Carlin

Food is great and service is wonderful. Everything is as expected for a diner experience. They have all the food you might consider plus healthy options you might not expect a diner to offer. We had a great waitress who was thoughtful and kind to every customer which was nice to see. The reason for the atmosphere score is the tough customers that wander into the establishment. Saw a likely homeless person order a piece of pie and walk out without paying. It’s sad but I guess part of the deal in San Fran.

We landed in San francisco last week, just needed a quick meal before settling in our hotel for a good sleep, no time for a proper restaurant that night. Honestly the tukey burger was awful. I left…

This is a diner style restaurant. The service was very good. We were here for breakfast and it was also good and the portion size was large.

I’m on a 5 day whirlwind trip from Australia to USA, and I’ve committed to ONLY eating classic American burgers while here. Have a look at my other burger reviews! Tonight it’s a 50s Diner “Melbu…

Had breakfast, got there right after they opened and sat right away. Great 50’s diner with chrome everywhere and nostalgic stuff all over. Food was good and what you expect at a diner. Location w…

It is one of those places that you must visit for the real American breakfast. The service was so good, you never waited for your water or coffee to be refilled it just happened and you really did…

We wanted to get some breakfast and I made sure to see what yelp said. The food was good it was definitely worth the good reviews. The service was quick and friendly. And the ambiance was exactly w…

Visiting town for Super Bowl Weekend and saw this local spot as I was walking down the street. I enjoy a good diner so I figured I'd stop in and see what Mel's had to offer. I was able to get some seating at the counter quickly even though it was a busy weekend. The decor is your typical old timey diner with mini jukebox and all. My server was fast and friendly. I ordered the meatloaf with mashed potatoes and fries and a vanilla oreo shake to wash it down. The food came out quick, but was disappointing. The portions of food were not very large. The meatloaf was kind of bland and seemed like some pre-made reheated meal. The best part of my meal was the milkshake which was very good. Although, it was a ten dollar milkshake. For what I received I feel the meal was overpriced and did not deliver the value of the $40+ spent. If I come back through San Fran I will not be returning to this location.

The ice added a chemical taste to the drinks as it melted. The server was kind of hard to understand. The food was average. It was kind of noisy and hard to talk to each other. Overall a bit disappointed.

Expansive diner food menu with shakes and other fare. Service is okay, food came fast. Good if you’re looking for a quick bite. Tons of memorabilia inside.

Expansive diner food menu with shakes and other fare. Service is okay, food came fast. Good if you’re looking for a quick bite. Tons of memorabilia inside.

Expansive diner food menu with shakes and other fare. service is okay, food came fast. Good if you’re looking for a quick bite. Tons of memorabilia inside.

Ayidh AlQahtani

The food was not very good and the service did not meet the usual Mel’s style. I preferred the LA branch much more.

+2

Today, January 2, 2026, we went to this place and ordered "Chicken Fried Steak," and the waitress said she would go to the kitchen to ask if they had it. She came back and said yes, they did, so we both ordered that dish... and what a surprise when the dish arrived! It was a piece of ugly fried chicken with a sweet and sour sauce. We ate it, and afterward, we explained to the waitress what a real Chicken Fried Steak is (it's beef with country gravy). The chicken and the sauce tasted terrible. This is our third negative experience at this restaurant on Mission Street and 4th Street. We will definitely never go back to Mel's.

Jie Huang

Disappointing Service Experience and Clear Discrimination at Mel's Drive Inn (San Francisco - 801 Mission St) Date: January 8, 2026, around 5 PM Location: Mel's Drive Inn, 801 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94103 --- What happened: 1. Ordering process · My brother and I dined at the restaurant and were served by a Latino male staff member (wearing a white dress shirt, likely a manager). · I ordered a New York steak and a classic hamburger. The server asked twice for the preferred doneness for both items, and I answered "medium rare" each time. · When I asked for drink recommendations other than milkshakes, he suggested orange juice and mentioned that strawberry milkshake was the most popular. 2. Unprofessional attitude · During ordering, I smiled, said "thank you" multiple times, and maintained polite engagement, yet the server appeared confused and impatient. · Throughout our meal, the employee spent most of his time chatting with other staff near the cash register, showing little attention to customers. 3. Food delay and negligence · The milkshake, orange juice, and steak were served gradually. After my brother had almost finished the steak, the hamburger was still missing. · When I asked about the hamburger, the server claimed, "You didn't order it," without apologizing or offering to expedite the order, and simply inputted the item coldly. · Given that he had specifically asked for the hamburger’s doneness earlier, the order was clearly recorded—yet he shifted the blame to us. 4. Discriminatory treatment and racial bias · The same employee was friendly and attentive to white customers at other tables but displayed arrogant expressions and dismissive behavior toward us. · As Asian patrons who remained polite throughout, we felt intentionally ignored, suggesting possible racial discrimination. 5. Payment and warning · I immediately canceled the missing hamburger and chose to leave no tip as a protest against the poor service. · Formal notice: If the restaurant attempts to add an unauthorized tip to my payment, I will retain evidence and file a complaint with relevant government authorities. We are long-term Asian residents of the Bay Area, fully prepared to pursue this matter with all available resources. --- Summary: This experience went beyond simple service failure—it reflected intentional neglect and disrespect toward Asian customers. We urge the management to address such behavior seriously and improve staff training. We hope other customers will speak up against discriminatory treatment if encountered.