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| - There's just something comforting about a place as resolutely old school as Mel's. Even though this Sunday morning was my first visit, for some reason it just felt like I was visiting an old friend. Whereas Welcome Diner (just a couple miles east of here) serves diner fare with modern and new age twists, Mel's menu remains old school and proud of it. The diner itself has been relatively untouched by time (even though ownership has changed hands a few times). Before I came here I guess I was expecting something along the lines of faux nostalgia with 50s music blaring in the background and waitresses in sock hop outfits (along the lines of Phoenix's 5 & Diner franchises). Nope. Unpretentious, laid back, friendly, and affordable. Great reviews from the Phoenix New Times got me in the door. The verdict?
The restaurant is situated on Grand Avenue just north of the I-10 freeway and about two blocks directly south of the State Fairgrounds. The immediate surrounding neighborhood has certainly seen better days, but Mel's has endured at this location since 1963. You may have heard all about the references to Mel's place in history as the setting for the late 70s-early 80s TV sitcom Alice, but I won't go into that since I never saw the show. Instead you can just Google it and learn for yourself. For me, my first visit was all about getting a hearty Sunday morning breakfast.
I arrived a few minutes after 7am. To my surprise the front counter was almost full and several people were already grabbing spots in the surrounding booths. The majority of the clientele were retirees who are clearly on a first name basis with Becky (the head waitress this morning) and with each other. The restaurant is larger than it looks from the outside and can probably seat about 100 people at full capacity. I grabbed a chair at the end of the front counter. As I said, the menu here is old school so if you're looking for a menu item that stands out or something innovative to blow your mind, you'll be disappointed. But I was here specifically for something old school. So for me it was a sausage omelet with hash browns and a mini stack of pancakes to get my Sunday morning started.
Food came out in about 5 minutes. I was actually quite impressed with how much meat they put in my omelet (at least 50/50 meat to egg ratio in this version) and the potatoes and pancakes were both spot on. Nothing fancy, nothing new age. Just good down home comfort food. All the while, I would listen to the restaurant patrons share stories with Becky, with one another and even with patrons sitting at booths at the other side of the room. Even I jumped in to ham it up with some of the old timers. I was in and out of here in about 30 minutes, but I suspect many of the other patrons probably spend hours just drinking their coffees and spending time with their groups of friends here regularly.
Total cost for the food, tax, and tip came to just under $10. Interestingly Mel's actually reminded me most of some of the diners I used to frequent during my college days in Flagstaff. Places like Mike & Ronda's (which has a location in Glendale as well), and even Country Host. These are spots that serve old school, inexpensive comfort food in a laid back, welcoming atmosphere. People from all walks of life would pop into these places (as I'm sure is the case at Mel's). College students, truckers, suits, families, people down on their luck, you name it. In fact if you're a Downtown Phoenix college student and reading this I would highly recommend Mel's as a spot for a good hearty breakfast or lunch on a college budget. For me, Mel's was a surprisingly decent find with food that was both familiar and top notch. For over half a century, Mel's has been a survivor in a ever changing Phoenix landscape. And my tummy couldn't be more grateful.
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