Mel's Drive-In

Don't even bother unless you have lots of time and money

by GaryMel

Well, it looks like I'm not the only one who would have enjoyed it more if it was truly like "Mel's Diner"... Spent the day at Santa Monica and decided to go into Hollywood to enjoy the afternoon/evening. We were starving and decided to check out "Mel's Diner" from movie and TV fame and found it nothing like what we had ever seen. Open ceiling with beams and pipes overhead with dust and dirt on every inch of it. Old looking booths, much too small for a family of four but we fit.

Took forever to get service once we were seated (20 minute wait to get a table - not bad for a crazy crowd on near-by Hollywood Blvd.)... But - no water offered and not enough settings at table. Finally gave our drink order (one beer, two cokes, and a water).. We didn't see them for over 20 minutes. Finally had to ask where they were and was told they were being made. Made? How do you make a coke a water and a beer? I've never seen it take that long to make a coke. Waited another 20 minutes before we ordered our food - granted it was busy - but come on now...

By the time we ordered our food we had already drank our drinks and needed refills (over 80-90 degrees outside and sun blaring through the window on our backs kept it pretty warm... Ordered our food - A Cheeseburger, Patty Melt, Chicken Wings, and a Chili Burger. Nothing comes with what you order - In other words be prepared to pay extra for a slice of cheese, a salad, a cup of soup ($3 for a cup btw), fries, whatever you may need is extra. They nickel and dime you to death in this place.

Since we already had been waiting - we knew that the food was going to take a while also - so we weren't surprised that we had to wait - finally a salad and the cups of $3 chicken soup arrived - then another long wait for the food. The food was okay - nothing to rave about - really no different than your local Dennys or IHop.

After waiting for the bill - does the term "waiting" seem to be a common theme here? we finally got the bill - and were blown away at the $109.00 charge !!!!!! over $100 for three burgers and chicken wings??? Really? looking at the bill we realized that everything was an extra charge - so we ate it - we pay it - but at the bottom of the bill was a little charge for $12.78 for a tip that the waitress just added on her own to the bill - PRETTY PRESUMPTUOUS I would say for such lousy service. She probably did that knowing that we weren't going to tip that much so she just added that on so she would be getting something.

Now usually we do not check the bill that closely and some people may just see the total and pay it - and then add some cash on that for a tip not realizing she has already added her own tip to the bill. We live in Vegas and we know that for a party of 4 you don't get an automatic tip - we are the service industry out here and trying to slip that little tid bit in was so not cool.

I took the bill immediately to the manager and asked what this little automatic tip was - just then our waitress jumps in from behind me - rips the bill out of my hand and says - here I'll give you one without the tip on it" and instantly produces another bill without the tip on it... What kind of shennanigans is this?

Needless we still were not happy about a $90 + bill for a few burgers that were nothing special - and no we did not leave one penny for that waitress. My son said the whole time he was looking at all the receipts on the counter by the register and not one of them from the other waiters and waitresses were putting that auto tip on the end of the bill - only our waitress was doing it - lucky us !!!

Will never go back there - don't bother - the only thing that is Hollywood about Mel's Diner is the sign.

BAD EXPERIENCE RUDE SERVER

by joannlachance

June 15th at 2am attempted to dine here. Party of 4, they sat us on the far left side of the restaurant in back near the kitchen. This section was pretty empty, except one booth with two male patrons. Each one of us in our party took turns rotating to the restroom. Meanwhile NO server arrived. Ten to 15 minutes later, the place didn't appear to be busy from our perspective, I got up and walked towards the kitchen to solicit an employee in hopes to find out who or if we had a server. The NICE man took the time to go find out whom our server was. I watched as he located "Wally". Wally was chit chatting with a couple, apparently he had taken thier order as well. I watched them enter the diner and get seated, long after WE were seated.

Wally glanced at our table with what looked like an annoyed inconvenienced then with willful defiance still ignored us until he FINALLY walked our way. By then he was already speaking at us an attitude...saying "Ya ya ya...I saw you bla bla” and something about how “Why'd you have to go tell the other guy (NICE man) to go get me....I was here BEFORE you guys were." I should hope so he works there. We were all shocked of the rude greeting with no apology or excuse, not even a fake one.

One of the people in our party feared WALLY was so rude he'd spit in our food or do something to it out of spite. So he said...."Dude, don't spit in my food, okay." Wally was so rude at that point, I realized WE would NOT be ingesting any food from this establishment. So, I said so and Wally said, "I don't care, fine go ahead and leave...doesn't matter to me, I don't care." I said, "Are you kidding me? OMG, the customer is always right and even if they aren't you have no reason to be so rude." Then my friend demanded to speak to the manager.

The booth across from us who was witness to all this, one of the men sitting there in a dress shirt said he was the manager? Really, I think NOT! Otherwise, he'd NEVER allow such disrespect. So then, I asked to speak to the owner. Of course his friend sitting with him, claimed to be the owner. Oh brother! At that point, we all got up and left. We walked over to The Roosevelt Hotel and spent our money there. WALLY’S loss.

WALLY, was HORRIBLE, RUDE & DISRESPECTFUL. He's the bartender/waiter. He must feel he's got JOB SECURITY to be this ridiculously rude.

Management HAS BEEN notified. William the Assistant Day Manager, and Jesse Mendoza the REAL manager as well. I have yet to hear from Azul Fernandez, the General Manager. I guess she's off for a WEEK. How conveninet. Oh well too bad. They had thier chance, now YELP has thier.

It’s a Diner and I realize this but there is NO excuse to be treated so disrespectfully or rude. Never in my 52 years of life have I ever had a food server speak with such disrespect. I’ve had a lot of bad service and some not so cheery overly busy and incompetent wait staff in the past, but this by far is the worst.

Great Experience! Great Food!

by chloeluvsushi

I love this place! It was actually my first visit to Hollywood, and Mel's seemed to be a good choice. (There were a lot of people in there). :)

We were seated immediately, and the staff was incredible. The server gave us reccomendations as to what were popular options. The food was soooo good, fresh, and was really flavorful typical "diner food."

Veggie Burger = A+

Sweet Potato Fries = A+

I'd definitely come again - especially to check out the cool movie-memoriabilia.

don't go there

by notonchris

got a few, we caught them under glasses, feel a little icky now!!!!

• Pros: Slimming
• Cons: Fleas

THE ABSOLUTE WORST IN SERVICE AND FOOD

by SCHILLIK

I was just in the Mel's in Ontario, CA, and it is just as bad as the one in Los Angeles. Apparently, they are franchises, so there is no corporate structure as to their continuity of food preparation. The fries are horrible, and their rendition of a grilled cheese (easy enough to make, wouldn't you say?) is to toast two pieces of bread, then stick cold cheese slices in between. I had to send it back 3 times because the cooks barely speak enough english to understand their job. The manager was too stupid to know how to do proper damage control, and charged me for bad food (which I hardly touched!) anyway, and showed absolutely no concern whatsoever when I told her that not only would I never be back, but I would tell everyone I know not to go there. My next stop.....the Department of Health Services! (Food was served at a less than optimal temperature....it wasn't even lukewarm!)

• Pros: Ambience only
• Cons: Stupid management, absolutely the worst food, bad customer service.