Mel's Drive-in – American Restaurant Review

San Francisco is known for the culinary sophistication of its diners. But, recently, good old American food is coming back. Several new, upscale restaurants have turned to American-style food, featuring steaks, chops etc., instead of arugula and truffle oil, at fairly high prices. However, there are some good old-timers that have been serving American home-style food—the kind your mother made— for a long time, at low prices (you can eat well for under $10). They fit the present need for many who have been hit by the ongoing recession.

An American Eatery For Our Times

Mel’s Drive-in
Four locations in San Francisco:
801 Mission St at Fourth, 227-4477
2165 Lombard at Fillmore, 921-3039
3355 Geary Blvd at Stanyan, 387-2244
1050 Van Ness at Geary Blvd, 292-6357

Mission and Van Ness locations are open 6am–12am Sun–Thurs, to 3am Fri & Sat. Lombard-Fillmore and Geary-Stanyan are open Mon-Thurs 6am to 12am, and 24 hours Fri to Sun.

All large places, sit-down service. Parking is available at all Mel's Drive-ins but the Van Ness locale.

Breakfast. With grilled potatoes, toast, jelly—2 eggs any style $4.50, with diced ham & green onions $5.50,corned beef hash & 2 eggs $6.75, broiled pork chops & eggs $7. N.Y. steak & eggs $10.25.

Breakfast Specials—$4.75—cheese omelet, hash browns, & coffee, or French toast, egg, bacon or sausage, & coffee, or, pancake, egg, bacon or sausage, & coffee, or 2 eggs any style, sliced tomatoes, cottage cheese, & coffee. 1 egg with short stack or waffle & 2 slices ham or bacon $5.75.

Lumberjack breakfast—8-oz ham steak, 3 eggs, 2 pancakes, & grilled potatoes $7.45.

Lunch Special—1/2 sandwich & cup of soup $6.75, 1/2 salad & cup of soup $5.75, 1/2 salad & 1/2 sandwich $7.00—all served with coffee, tea, or soft drink.

Lunch, dinner—All large portions—as at home. Chicken pot pie with salad & roll $9.25. Fried spring chicken with coleslaw, fries, roll & honey $8.50. With lumpy mashed potatoes, vegetables, bread & butter—American meat loaf $8.50, turkey dinner with stuffing $9.50, N.Y. steak broiled, with green salad $13.95, ground round with sautéed onions $8.50. Fish & chips with coleslaw, tartar sauce, roll & butter $8.50.

Salads & burgers. Salads—each a meal—$6.25–8.95, e.g., house salad $6.25, with avocado $7.50, chef salad with ham, turkey, cheese & egg $7.75. Mel’s 1/3 lb burger with chips, lettuce, tomato, onions $5.25, 1/2 lb $6.25. Combination plate with 1/2 pounder, fries, salad $8.95. Fish burger with tartar sauce $6.25.

Sandwiches—with choice of cup of soup, potato salad, fries, or coleslaw—3 cheeses on sourdough, grilled, $5.75, 3-decker with turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato on sourdough $7.50, strip steak on garlic-cheese French baguette, with fries $7.50.Vegetarian sandwich with avocado, sprouts, tomatoes, & fresh fruit cup $7.

Desserts—apple or cherry pie $3.50, double-cream cheesecake $3.75, milk shakes $3.36-3.75, deluxe sundaes $4.25 & $4.50, banana split $5.

Wine, beer. Wine $4.50 & $5.50 glass, house wine $3.50, 1/2 carafe $7.50, carafe 13.50. Beer—Anchor Steam, Heineken $3.50, Budwiser $3.