The Original Mels Diner - (Near Placerville, CA)

5 /5 Chandan Skanda: The Original Mel’s Diner is such a gem! Their veggie burger is one of the best I’ve had anywhere, and Joey’s Caramel Monkey Crunch is simply outstanding—sweet, crunchy, and unforgettable. We left with our stomachs full, and honestly, it felt like an all-day meal at such a great price. A big shout-out to Ashley R, who made our visit even better. She was super kind, attentive, and generous with her suggestions, helping us pick the perfect options. Great food, great value, and excellent service—I’ll definitely be coming back whenever I am driving to Tahoe!

5 /5 Michael Lee: I was fooled by the listing on Google Maps calling this the Original Mels Diner--its the name of the chain, not the original Mels Drive-In which was actually in San Francisco. I found out there are now 2 Mels (Mels) chains, and yes the apostrophe is a flag. None the less, we enjoyed our supper here, and appreciated the helpful staff. The retro diner atmosphere was pleasant and well kept up. I had their vegetarian burger, pleasantly evidently of their own making including a honey sauce. Fries were also unique and very good. Shakes were quite expensive, but also quite large--brought to the table in a tall stemmed glass along with the stainless steel mixing tumbler containing the rest of the shake. It was prepared for two, served with double straws and two spoons. Google Maps will not accept uploaded photos.

4 /5 Phillip Burum: Chocolate malt was perfect. Garlic fries were not amazing. Very greasy, lots of garlic to see, but they just dont taste like anything. The chicken Parm sandwich was pretty good. Service was great.

5 /5 Judy Rudolph: This is a great classic diner! The burgers are perfect. The bun is very light and flavorful a crispy golden fries. The chicken and waffles are enough for two people unless you are just extremely hungry. Service with a smile and very very quick turnaround from order to table.

5 /5 Scott Stephens: This fabulously classic burger joint has an extensive menu of great foods. The burgers, chili fries & chocolate malts are awesome.