Well, it looks like I'm not the only one who would have enjoyed it more if it was truly like ""Mel's Diner""... Spent the day at Santa Monica and decided to go into Hollywood to enjoy the afternoon/evening. We were starving and decided to check out ""Mel's Diner"" from movie and TV fame and found it nothing like what we had ever seen. Open ceiling with beams and pipes overhead with dust and dirt on every inch of it. Old looking booths, much too small for a family of four but we fit.
Took forever to get service once we were seated (20 minute wait to get a table - not bad for a crazy crowd on near-by Hollywood Blvd.)... But - no water offered and not enough settings at table. Finally gave our drink order (one beer, two cokes, and a water).. We didn't see them for over 20 minutes. Finally had to ask where they were and was told they were being made. Made? How do you make a coke a water and a beer? I've never seen it take that long to make a coke. Waited another 20 minutes before we ordered our food - granted it was busy - but come on now...
By the time we ordered our food we had already drank our drinks and needed refills (over 80-90 degrees outside and sun blaring through the window on our backs kept it pretty warm... Ordered our food - A Cheeseburger, Patty Melt, Chicken Wings, and a Chili Burger. Nothing comes with what you order - In other words be prepared to pay extra for a slice of cheese, a salad, a cup of soup ($3 for a cup btw), fries, whatever you may need is extra. They nickel and dime you to death in this place.
Since we already had been waiting - we knew that the food was going to take a while also - so we weren't surprised that we had to wait - finally a salad and the cups of $3 chicken soup arrived - then another long wait for the food. The food was okay - nothing to rave about - really no different than your local Dennys or IHop.
After waiting for the bill - does the term ""waiting"" seem to be a common theme here? we finally got the bill - and were blown away at the $109.00 charge !!!!!! over $100 for three burgers and chicken wings??? Really? looking at the bill we realized that everything was an extra charge - so we ate it - we pay it - but at the bottom of the bill was a little charge for $12.78 for a tip that the waitress just added on her own to the bill - PRETTY PRESUMPTUOUS I would say for such lousy service. She probably did that knowing that we weren't going to tip that much so she just added that on so she would be getting something.
Now usually we do not check the bill that closely and some people may just see the total and pay it - and then add some cash on that for a tip not realizing she has already added her own tip to the bill. We live in Vegas and we know that for a party of 4 you don't get an automatic tip - we are the service industry out here and trying to slip that little tid bit in was so not cool.
I took the bill immediately to the manager and asked what this little automatic tip was - just then our waitress jumps in from behind me - rips the bill out of my hand and says - here I'll give you one without the tip on it"" and instantly produces another bill without the tip on it... What kind of shennanigans is this?
Needless we still were not happy about a $90 + bill for a few burgers that were nothing special - and no we did not leave one penny for that waitress. My son said the whole time he was looking at all the receipts on the counter by the register and not one of them from the other waiters and waitresses were putting that auto tip on the end of the bill - only our waitress was doing it - lucky us !!!
Will never go back there - don't bother - the only thing that is Hollywood about Mel's Diner is the sign.
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