Mel's Classic Diner — Restaurant in Pigeon Forge

My wife and I visited here tonight. We were in the area on vacation and decided to stop in here since my wife was a fan of the tv show; Alice. We stopped in around 10:30 pm and our first clue we were going to love this place was the fact that it was PACKED. However, the hostess was great and quickly found a table and had it bussed for us. We sat down and loved the menu items and our waitress was great. I cannot remember her name but she had a great attitude, was very friendly, and had a great sense of humor. I ordered the catfish meal with a side of mashed potatoes/white gravy, and fries. My wife ordered a vegetable omelet with hash browns. Let me just say this; I have cooked fried fish my whole life. I grew up fishing and cooking it. Very, very rarely have I had catfish cooked perfectly. This fish was AMAZING. It was not over seasoned or over/under cooked. The batter was perfect, the texture was perfect, the cooking was PERFECT. Major, major kudos to the cook on this. The mashed potatoes and white gravy was so good that my wife ate half of my serving and ordered two of the mashed potatoes and gravy to go! Her omelet and hash browns were cooked perfect, the atmosphere was bustling but great, the wait staff and manager were spectacular. The manager at one point started busting out singing a country song! Dear lord we loved this place and plan on going back at least one more time before we head home. Thank you so very, very much for the great food, great hospitality, and great atmosphere! I will highly recommend anyone who wants good food with a classic atmosphere to...

Unlike a modern restaurant that has been styled to have a sterile 50's diner theme, Mel's Diner actually feels like an authentic old diner that has been well maintained and survived into modern times despite only being around since the early 90's.  We arrived at 1pm on a Friday at the end of a lunch rush and got a table in less than 10 minutes.   The people working here feel like they could be family or neighbors, and the food almost seems homemade.  I had a cheeseburger and fries with a chocolate malt.  There's nothing fancy about the burger, which is exactly what you would expect from a diner.  The fries seem to have a light batter which may not be for everyone and are not seasoned, but they were cooked perfectly with a nice crispy outside.  Breakfast seems to be served all day.  The prices are also very diner-like with most of the meals on the menu falling well under $15.  At first the milkshakes and malts seem expensive when considering the price alone, but the quantity is very generous; the metal mixing cup they bring out was big enough to fill the milkshake glass three times!  The atmosphere felt slightly cramped due to the plastic dividers (which I assume is a pandemic feature so I can't fault them for that), but the metallic ceiling, checkered floor, space-age patterned tabletops, and curved traincar-like walls still creates a fun diner environment.  The music that was playing didn't create a fully immersive 50's feeling as it ranged from 60's psychedelic rock to modern country, but overall had a fun and positive vibe.  I hope to stop in again next time...

Nicole was a GREAT server!! Even her notepad shows experience!! The service was tip top shape and she kept us Well Beveraged! Haha!! My Husband and I are Locals, and we were on a little “Redneck-Vacation” We decided To choose This Wonderful little Diner because it was open late and the food looked Great, after showing me the reviews, my Husband Told us to get in!! We got there after calling and making sure that they were still open and was immediately greeted with a smile. They got us quickly seated, and Nicole got us our drinks after figuring out what we wanted and looking at the menu we ordered and we’re waiting on our food. We waited about 15 minutes. When the food came out, it looked so clean and homemade! It tasted just as good. Love the atmosphere of this little place. We will be back! The nachos are phenomenal! They are a must have! The Philly cheesesteak is also very good. However, the buns were cut completely through so it was hard to keep the contents in. Everything was cooked how we requested it for our little guy too!! We will be back!! Thanks Nicole for your Great Attitude and 5 STAR SERVICE!!

My Recommendations: -the Nachos are banging!!! -the Phillycheese steak is Delicious

Pros: -Good parking -Kid Friendly -GREAT MUSIC -Easy Order Classic Menu! -Decent Prices -Lively Environment -Open late

Cons: -Don’t go in in a swimsuit, you’ll get dirty looks from some of the girls that work there lol. (One Host with brown hair…) -the bathrooms are a little hard to find at...