The Original Mels Diner — Restaurant in Placerville

My family and I came up from sac to go to apple hill decided to stop and eat here on our way home on the afternoon of Sunday the 15th. Food was terrible they left half the bottom bread out of my mom's cheese steak sandwich and another piece of it on the side of it it's a sandwich it's supposed to have bread right? Had to ask them to remake it then I hear waitress tell kitchen staff well it does fall apart and laughs like we're tripping so we told her no it didn't fall apart it wasn't there to begin with she says I never said that when I clearly heard her then proceeds to say she has to tell kitchen staff what they want to hear ok so clearly she did say that and why would she have to tell the kitchen what they want to hear to remake something? So they remade the whole sandwich then it gets left sitting there for a while my mom had to go up and ask for it ok then waitress shows up and says sorry she was busy at this point we just wanted to leave poor customer service and rude for lying even the older man who took my moms ticket when paying had a attitude very unfriendly after telling him about my nieces cheese fries they were disgusting burnt and shredded cheese just thrown on top got all hard and my other niece orders Mac n cheese with fruit it was nasty box Mac n cheese at that and sour fruit horrible food also I ordered a chicken fried steak DINNER came out over crisp and with a little side of potatoes food was very disappointing and very poor and rude customer service for our 1st experience at this restaurant will not be...

This place was so much fun!! It felt really nostalgic, and the food was great. We ordered the turkey club sandwich with fries and the chicken fried steak with gravy and hash browns.

My sandwich was super fresh, and really delicious. The chicken fried steak gravy was fantastic, rich and full of flavor. The steak itself was pretty standard, but it still hit the spot. The only small downside was that some of the fries were undercooked. I could’ve asked for them to be cooked a bit longer, but it really wasn’t a big deal. I just took the leftovers home and crisped them up in the oven.

Even though Mel’s is a chain, they really capture the 1950s diner vibe in the best way. I’ve been to Ruby’s and Johnny Rockets plenty of times, but those places always feel a little too polished or corporate. Mel’s felt genuinely authentic. A true blast to the past! The decor, the music, and the mini jukeboxes at every table really make it special. (Bring some quarters if you want to pick a few classic tunes.)

If you’re looking for a fun and relaxed spot to grab some classic comfort food, I definitely recommend trying Mel’s. It’s the kind of place where you can kick back, enjoy a good meal, and soak up a little bit of that 1950s diner charm. I’m already looking forward to going back.

Also maybe this place felt EXTRA legit because it’s right down the street from Main St., Placerville (a charming little slice of small, home town goodness)! It gives ALL the...

The employees were really nice & the restaurant was very clean. The atmosphere was very pleasant & looked like what a Diner should. I hope they always keep the kind of nostalgic look/style they currently have & never try to update it to look more modern. The moment we walked into the restaurant we were noticed & then seated immediately. The prices were better then some of the other restaurants in the same area & the portions were more than enough which pleased me for I felt the other restaurants prices I saw were high, yet in all fairness I never saw the amount of portions the other restaurants had, other than the one we ate at. Yet I did notice the prices many of the other restaurants had posted in the area that were written on outdoor boards & Windows. The employees were extremely nice & not phony, our order was taken after a few minutes when seated, the food was delivered shortly after we ordered it. I ordered the French Dip & Onion Rings which were very good, a Chocolate Shake along with another order to take home however I cannot recall what it was yet I do remember it was good, a few minutes after the food was served the server came back and checked to make sure everything was okay & asked if we needed anything else at the moment, All in All it was extremely pleasant & so my opinion is they deserve 5 stars in all 3...