Mel's Diner - Our new favorite place to eat!

Today we tried a new place, for us anyway, for lunch.  While we were out running some errands, my Mom wanted something to eat.  A burger, is her usual request.  We did not want to eat her usual request. Burgers get a little tiring after a while.  Even a chicken or turkey burger.

So my daughter has been bugging us to go try this place in San Leandro.  Which isn't to far from our home in Hayward.  So we headed off in that direction.

Parking lot was full, but we were able to get a spot not to far from the front door.  Nice older gentleman sitting on a bench near the front door greeted us warmly, as he was waiting for his daughter to meet him for lunch.  We asked him oif the place was any good as we were just trying it for the first time.

He assured us that the food was good and we would love it. So we walked into the front door of Mel's Diner.

The 50's decor was fabulous! The music nostalgic and the smells from the kitchen reminded you of the show "Happy Days".  If your old enough the remember that show.  The decor is based on the movie American Graffiti.  The movie was actually filmed at the original Mel's Diner in San Francisco, which is just across the bay.

We were shown to a table and handed our menu's.  The menus are full of delicious items that are reminiscent of the good old foods of the 50's.  Burger, Shakes, Omelettes, Fried Chicken, Prime Rib (which surprised me) and tons more!  It took us a good 20 minutes to decide on what to order.

The waitresses and waiter, checked in on us quite often to make sure we had everything we needed. Other people sitting around us noticed it was our first time there and struck up a conversation with us about a few of their dishes.  They also assured us that we would love the food.

We finally decided and placed our order. We sat around looking at all the memorabilia hanging on the walls and listening to the old music.  Time flew by.  Next thing we knew, they were delivering our food on small platter sized plates.  My Mom had the ordered the Club Sandwich and fries.  Let me tell you, this was no regular Club Sandwich.  This was real sliced turkey breast piled with bacon, cheese and all the normal fix-in's.  Most places use turkey lunch meat, Mel's does not.  I had the Chicken Fried Steak and eggs (I was in the mood for breakfast since I had not eaten yet and it was almost 1:00 in he afternoon.

Eggs cook perfectly, crispy (but not burnt) hashbrowns and a golden brown chicken fried steak in a crispy brown crust covered in a out of this world breakfast gravy.  I could eat a bowl of the gravy all by itself!  I wouldn't though, that would be bad, right?  LOL

If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area and are looking for a great place to eat with that comfortable welcoming atmosphere, step into Mel's Diner in San Leandro (or one of their other locations) and enjoy!

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