Mel's Diner in Waterloo

Awful services. Waited 15mins with no one to take order.

Our server today was very very very sweet. However one of the workers working today from about 30 minutes ago needs to work on her customer service. I was with my boyfriend and my friend catching up, sitting at the very first table on the right when you come in through the door. I ordered a candy cane milkshake. This rude worker had brown curly hair and her skin colour was brown (I didn t get her name sorry for the brief description) she came to the table and offered me a chocolate milkshake however I informed her that I ordered a candy cane milkshake. Although I didn t want to cause any problems I was willing to accept the chocolate shake, and informed her that it was okay and I can have the chocolate shake so they don t have to remake it. She then, looks at me dead at my face acting as if this was a burden and talks to me like I was a toddler repeating slowly and rudely what did you order? Did you order a chocolate shake? repeatedly. Her tone of voice made me very upset and taken aback, I was appalled by this interaction because I was going to genuinely take the chocolate shake with no issues. She could have handled that way differently, I am also a server and I know that you shouldn t be talking to customers this rudely. She was very rude and didn t handle that well at all and honestly if it wasn t for my kind server (an older white lady who was very funny and sweet and kind and offered amazing service) I wouldn t have came back. I think the other worker needs to work on her customer service skills because it was clearly lacking and got upset at me for no reason. Which created an awkward tension at my table and made me very uncomfortable. The food was really good though, no complaints on that.

Enjoy the food at this location, both dine in and take out. Staff is attentive and friendly with both pickup and dine in orders. Fish and chips are very enjoyable here

Vegetarian options: Ask them for their vegan menu ...it has some really tasty vegan options...try their vegan pancakes with chocolate chips....it is out of this world. Food : 5/5

This place is always busy and still the service is quick and great. My go to breakfast place in Waterloo!

Great food, great place. Only complaint was it was cold in the restaurant.

Apple pie was cold and the crust was soft. I dont mind waiting a while for good food but this was bad. Food : 1/5

Classic spot, I always take my parents here when they visit town. Consistently good service! If there is a wait, it s never too long, and always worth it - The Hashbrown waffle is my favourite thing to get. The jukebox can be loud at times, but the fantastic staff are always happy to adjust volume upon request.

Its a blessing to have a diner within walking distance. The indoor atmosphere is also very good. A bit of a North American 80s feel?? Cadillac sensibility.... The food isnt bad either. Braised tomatoes are very delicious.

I visited last night (November 1) around 9:40 pm. The female server was wonderful and took good care of us! During our meal, a female entered the restaurant with a small dog and sat at the counter. The male she entered with seemed to be an employee of the store. A male employee in a red sweatshirt went to go say hi and touch the dog. The male employee then went to the back to grab a ladder, and set it up. He then went and grabbed water for some other guests, and peel potatoes. The male employee did all these things without washing his hands. He was also touching his hair and neck multiple times, and would bring guests water and utensils without washing his hands. Seeing these things put a damper on the meal and made us question the cleanliness of the food we were served.

Very fun place to grab a bite to eat. Very busy with great service & food.

Amazing experience for a night out with the girls... for me, it was a walk down memory lane with decor & old fashioned customer service & even better tasting eats Id highly recommend this diner to everyone of any age! Vegetarian options: Veggie burgers, salads & awesome fries :) Dietary restrictions: Something for any diet & they will tailor your dish as you like it. Parking: Try it for yourselves, enjoy the jukebox & memorabilia

Ordered online and had to create an account to do so. Selected pickup and discovered that part of our order was missing. Underwhelming experience overall, considering the cost. Update: Angela from Mels Diner reached out and was very helpful and willing to address the issues we experienced.

I like the kitschy 50s vibe. The staff are very pleasant. Extensive menu. The hollandaise is powdered; the syrup is the fake stuff. They have real butter. The sourdough toast was soggy and no sourdough taste to it. I asked for crispy bacon and it wasn t. The sausage was ok; the ham was the cheap stuff. The home fries are just deep fried cubed potatoes (like most places now). I asked for a dry cappuccino but it was more like a latte (drinkable though). The pancake was good. My niece enjoyed the waffle and my mom liked the omelette. The prices are a little higher than other breakfast places which are better. I paid $97 for four people (before taxes and grats). Wheelchair accessibility: It is wheelchair accessible but it would be tight.

The service was fantastic and the food was delivered piping hot within 5 min of ordering. Fantastic spot to go and enjoy a yummy home cooked meal

Amazing food at good prices. Love the retro movie vibe. Cinnamon roll swirl pancakes are a must and the lobster eggs benny was good!

Food was great so was the giant glass of ice water! It would be nice if waiting time is shorter

- Friend and I cost 18$ altogether (both ordered Mels Favourite) - Good food - Friend got the wrong kind of eggs and received correct eggs and more toast free of charge - Joyce (server) was extremely kind and served us well - atmosphere very cozy and 80s-90s retro esque Parking: Bike locks directly next to the restaurant

Great breakfast and super friendly service!! Happy I visited this place again. Food

Excellent food and service!!!

Mel s dinner has options for everyone. Being gluten free can be challenging but this dinner is amazing! Dietary restrictions: Gluten free

food is soooo bomb. the ambiance is great and the service was wonderful.

Food was good, service was good even on a busy weekend. However, my husband forgot his sweater, he put it on one of the hooks just outside the booths, and when we called thr next morning, just 24 hours later, were told that it was not found. Called again the day after, same response. I imagine that staff would pick it up while clearing the table after we left, so it is strange and unsettling that weve been told its not been found :/

I can make all their food at home

Loved this restaurant! Ate here after dropping our son at Wilfred Laurier - it is walking distance to the university.

Incredible! The food, the environment, the service, everything was amazing!!

The cabbage rolls were awesome.

They use halal beef. Thats where they kill the animal by slitting its throat by an Islamic person (cant be other religions) rather than modern humane methods. So not only are they limiting who can do the job by religion, but also sending us backwards. All this to sell some burgers guys? Come on. Waitress was nice. Wont go again until they use modern and humane beef.

Its standard diner fair, nothing to complain about but also nothing to praise.

An classic old fashioned style diner with speedy service.

Ordered their fish and chips on thursday and got food poisoning, had an upset stomach only a few hours after and threw up twice that evening and had fever + diarrhea for the next two days

Great food, excellent taste and quality, excellent service. Will visit again soon!

Great service,atmosphere,and food! Wheelchair accessibility: definitely wheelchair accessible Food : 5/5 |

They have a diner gimmick going on but there are better places in Waterloo if you want an authentic family diner feel. Food was mediocre, the eggs on the eggs benedict were overcooked.

went to Mels tonight for the first time. got the bang bang chicken as an app and the chicken came out cold. that shouldve been the first red flag. I got the hot turkey sandwich with fries. the fries were just okay but the turkey sandwich was gross. when I think of hot turkey sandwich I think of shredded turkey in bread smothered in yummy gravy. it was weird slices of turkey and it was so gross I didnt even finish it (I had maybe a fee bites). also ordered myself a chocolate milkshake which had a weird taste. I think it was just made with chocolate syrup instead of being chocolate ice cream. went because of the good reviews but wont be going back.

The service here is always amazing. My only complaint would be that when I order tea they always bring me hot water like from the table instead of like boiled water. Its never hot enough to steep my tea, in fact I can touch the metal tea pot with my hands. Other than that one thing theyre amazing.

Amazing place Great food

Great service and a amazing waitress

Staff is very experienced and friendly . Love to communicate.

Your average diner with excellent service. Food is nothing to rave about, but a good value.

Cute experience due to setting and decor. Food was okay. Good place to visit with younger kids as they be looking around alot

Reqlly great place,like going back in time and the food and service is fast and great

Good milkshake, very good environment and nice people. However, bit sad seeing a higher price in case of vegan milkshake with respect to the diary one.

Jordan was the best waitress I ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. I experienced superior customer service and the food was exceptional. I love Mel s favourite and Jordan made sure all of my dietary restrictions were met. Will definitely be returning as this is my new favourite spot

I dont throw around 5-star ratings for no reason, and if youre a fan of 50s style diners I wager you will agree Mels Diner deserves it. All the staff was very friendly and provided great service (I actually to them all). The atmosphere was on point for a 50s diner and the place was kept super clean. The quality of food and price were excellent. My niece ordered the gluten-free Club Sandwich and was very happy with it. I had the non-GF Club with a side of onion rings.... And they may be the best Ive ever had! Im 40+ and have loved onion rings since I was a kid, so if you like onion rings, I strongly urge you to add them to your order. Enjoy, and thanks Mels. Vegetarian options: The strictly vegan options are many, on a separate menu. Dietary restrictions: The gluten-friendly menu is extensive, also on a separate full menu.

Excellent experience. Highly recommended!

Its a fifty diner.great music and atmosphere. Shakes are great and lots of variations

First time I got crispy bacon when I asked for it. It was awesome

Super friendly staff, great service and good food

great vegan options!

I really appreciate all the atmosphere, that include food, and attendance.

Always enjoy Mels, great no nonsense home cooked food! Staff really friendly, often very busy but thats a good thing! Food

Got a greek chicken salad (which was incredible!) for takeout. The salad was so freaking good and they always give good portions which is appreciated! They also put a message on my take out bag which made my day! So cute. :)

Mel, the diner that you are. I mean the food is decent, the service is pretty solid, and honestly I ve probably just doubled my college tuition in the money I ve spent there, but they were very accommodating when I showed up with a group of 15 people and they always remember my order. Love you Mel! <3

Loved the vibe ! Old retro restaurant.. Absolutely loved the latte The breakfast options were good too..

I ve always wanted to come here at 8am after an all nighter but ended up coming here at 9pm instead. Solid food, like upgraded hungry-man

inhaled the chicken and waffles, cooked perfect my bestie got the meat lasagna and i will definitely get that next time, the garlic bread looked so good :))

I went here for some brunch today and absolutely enjoyed my experience. I had to get my food replaced and my server Abby handled it amazingly. She was so cute and did a great job! Def will come again + the shakes are gas :D

Retro diner good music food amazing service fast and prices pretty fair

Very nostalgic diner! Food is heavy here so I shared the burger meal and banana bread French toast with a friend. It was my first time trying the banana bread French toast and I m a huge fan now!!! Very good and I highly recommend!

Bleh! Did not like this place. Server was lazy and unfriendly. Burger was preposterously over-priced once you added any toppings of consequence. Milkshake was unpleasantly frothy and left a greasy coating on the roof of my mouth.

Nice little place to get breakfast or lunch in Waterloo. The atmosphere is awesome. What I personally really like about Mel s is that they have a Gluten free breakfast & lunch menu. They also have a vegan menu. So if you have dietary restrictions go to Mel s! Dietary restrictions: Gluten free and Vegan menu.

Very amazing diner, amazingly fast service and sweet people

Great food. Went on a hot day and there AC broke so had to eat with sweat dripping. But love the retro vibe of 50 s to 80 s. Nice choices for breakfast.

Absolutely disgusting food. Ordered the fish and chips and it was raw with completely uncooked batter. Immediately threw up when I got home.

Yumme

great food . gun atmosphere

great vibes and decent food! Love the theme of the restaurant. Always a reliable option for brunch

This is a super cute diner in Waterloo for breakfast! We ordered the Classic Benedict and the California Benedict. Our breakfast was very filling and freshly served. Service was great! I really liked how they have this randomized program where a portion of the customers bill goes to charity! We were the chosen ones by Mel that day :)! Would definitely visit again! Vegetarian options: Avacado Toast Dietary restrictions: They have gluten free options available!

Always a favorite. Dietary restrictions: Good for gluten free for me! My celiac can handle a bit of gluten in the area though just an FYI. Food : 5/5 |

Wonderful experience, came in late to get a slice of cake for my friends birthday and was greeted with a smile, the guy who helped us was really helpful and kind and made sure our experience was as good as possible, will definitely be coming back ! :)

Nice little place.

A very nice diner to eat breakfast! The old school theme they have going on, with booths, movie pictures and other stuff is amazing!! The food tastes great and prices match the food quality!

Been coming here for years. The service is quick and nice staff. The food portions have definitely gotten smaller and worse over the years though. Quality of many of the items has fallen (likely since covid) and therefore is a bit expensive for what you get. Still worth the visit here and there though

As a vegetarian I didnt use to be a breakfast lover, but Mels has won me over. Good eggs, nice vibe, lots of choices and variations on the core foods. My favourite is the California Benedict with guac on it! Definitely more of an eggs-and-potatoes breakfast than the fruit variety, which is fine by me. I only wish they were open more often for dinner! I sometimes order takeout but really recommend going in, its better fresh and the decor is fun. Enjoy! Vegetarian options: Theyre great, and very clearly marked, and you never feel like youre missing out. Give it a try!

Our server Taylor was absolutely fantastic. From the moment we walked in and got seated by a friendly smiling young man, the whole experience was terrific. Great food, great service and great value. A must try experience for everyone!

Great aesthetic and service. This time, the staff were able to accommodate our group of 13. Always a good place to come anytime of the day.

Ordered 2 chocolate shakes take out and they were garbage. Tasted like a scoop of icy, freezer burned ice cream and some milk, put in a blender for 5 seconds. Watery and flavor less. Really disappointing.

We had a great time

Butterscotch milkshake was amazing! My Florentine Eggs Benedict had a hair in it. But they replaced it and didn t charge me for it. Great service too.

Very cool looking.

Came at 1 am and the food was just as good in the morning. There was only one waiter but she hustled for all the tables so there wasn t much waiting. Will come back!

Great food great staff good conversation and good prices! We will come back again! Thanks for the evening :)

They have a dedicated vegan menu. We had breakfast and enjoyed all that we ordered

Food is very basic. Ultimate grilled cheese was underwhelming: 2 very thin slices of cheese.

Great ambient music Good food Good service Great spot for breakfast

We ate at the Waterloo location, great spot tuck for all you can eat breakfast. Old school style dinner with a lot of options on the menu. Customer service was great, very attentive and friendly. Prices are on par for breakfast and the decor is really cool! No wait on Saturday morning prime time for a table. Old school diner vibe in a great location. Food was amazing as well and came out very quick. Dietary restrictions: If you look at the menu there is something for everyone. Classic breakfast options as well as several meatless alternatives, vegetarian, etc.

Had a meal here back in 2019. I had a really fun time. I had a milkshake and I forgot what the meal was. Great place for dining in!!!! Atmosphere inside is beautiful

Great vibes and comforting food. Perfect for sunday brunch

Went for Sunday breakfast and the place delivered in every way. Great food, fun ambience and friendly and prompt service. Has an old school diner feel with posters from old movies. I ordered the Huevos rancheros which was excellent, plentiful and fresh. Food arrived quickly which was great because we were hungry. I will definitely be back!

Good food. Good atmosphere. Slow service.

First time in. Had avocado & poached eggs on toast. It was very tasty, albeit the avocado was a bit scarce. Daughter had a buffalo chicken poutine which she said was very good. It was a Sunday morning and place was packed. Our server took a while to get to us as she was slammed, so another server helped out. They were both lovely girls and provided great service.

Like taking a trip back in time less the smoking section - its always an awesome experience at Mels. Staff are amazing and food cant be beat.

A man, who I later found out was his second day provided excellent service!

I will continue to eat at Mels. Great food and very personable and courteous staff. Food

Classic 60s I love this place

best diner ever

To find yourself in 1960. Retro diner offering a traditional menu. Usually crowded. Frequented by students. Very pleasant.

The food and service were amazinggg. I honestly believe this was one of the best experiences I have had at a diner and Im not over exaggerating! The server was so sweet and attentive. Had a very cozy and warm environment!

Went in here cause we havent been since it burnt down years ago. I had the Elvis burger. It was ok , big , but lacking freshness Pattys tasted like a pre made frozen one for the price I kinda expected more? Fries were fantastic though. People were nice and knowledgeable with the menu. I would suggest trying for yourself . Have a Milkshake.

I m a regular at this particular location. My family and I go a couple times a month and we always get the same server (I think his name is Jash). He has always been amazing with the service. Jash checks on us very regularly to make sure we re doing okay & our food is good. I came to the diner Thursday January 11th with a group of friends and Jash was our server again. He went above and beyond with the service and I would highly recommend this diner to anyone who asks. We appreciate the work Jash does at the diner and will continue to come!

A great friendly place for a quick bite... The staff was super, the food was delicious.

I went to Mel s a few months ago in July for some brunch with friends. If i remember correctly our server s name was Grant and he was an absolute gem!! I d come back just for his service and the hashbrowns. Great service + great food what more could you ask for??

Thank you Jordan for the excellent service! She was very warm and welcoming :) my friend and I ordered the Mac n cheese grilled cheese with a side of sweet potato fries, buttermilk pancakes and bacon which were all phenomenal! Will definitely be back to tackle the godfather challenge with some friends!

Awesome place, go here every 2 weeks for breakfast, Melissa is amazing !

Nice atmosphere, burger is trash. Literally no flavour lmao. What a ripoff. French toast is pleasant Food : 2/5

Fun atmosphere, but think i should have gotten breakfast. Fries are really good but the ultimate grilled cheese was far from ultimate. The chicken and waffles were a big hit though.

A Waterloo classic - the breakfast is satisfying and the service is a-mel-zing! The milkshake is also not too sweet and a nice touch to any visit

Excellent food! We had crispy edged cinnamon pancakes with cinnamon frosting and crispy chicken-waffle eggs-benedict-- delicious!! Many types of fresh milk milkshakes- we had coffee flavour. And the service was awesome: efficient, quick and friendly(Kyle) and he checked on our coffee refills and that we had everything we needed. The best diner breakfast experience weve had. Thank you:)

Dirty and unclean place, the hostess been really rude to us. I would not suggest go this location for brunch experience. The food was dry and unpleasant.

Such a fun time eating here. The vibe is great and the food is super. Love the staff

Very cute place! Had a meat Burger with everything on it, gorged it down like it was nothing. Theres trivia cards at the tables as well, if only I knew anything from the 60s

Great food and service. Good vibes too.

I had the pleasure of dining at Mels Diner recently, and I cant say enough about the wonderful experience. Our waitress, Phoebe, was an absolute delight! She was not only attentive but also incredibly helpful throughout our meal. Her warm and friendly demeanor enhanced our dining experience, making it even more enjoyable. The food was delicious, and Phoebes excellent service truly stood out. I highly recommend Mels Diner, where you can expect great food and exceptional service from people like Phoebe! Happy Eating

Got the and , was really good. Service was quick and accommodating, especially for extra condiments. I also tried a bite of my sisters cinnamon roll pancakes, and they are just as amazing as they sound. Will definitely come back next time Im in the area.

The food is just overpriced breakfast you can make on your own with a toaster and pan for 1/10th the price. If anything you can also make sure your breakfast is fresher than theirs. The restaurant looks nice though.

My boyfriend and I went to Mel s Diner on Sunday after hearing so many great things about it, but our experience was unpleasant. We were seated right away and enjoyed the atmosphere for a little, but they never came to take our order nor another customer s who was waiting near us. Other tables were being taken care of, but we were left to ourselves, and it was not busy at all!! They closed at 11:00pm we got there roughly around 9:35-9:40 and left at 10:20 after no one even acknowledging us. As we got up to leave they said to have a great night, which we thought was a bit rude and conceited because it shows that they knew we were there and waiting patiently, and they didn t have any kindness to apologize. This was a horrible and disappointing experience to say the least as we were so excited to try Mel s.

We come for the chocolate chip waffle

You had me at all day breakfast, and youre actually open all day! The banana bread french toast is a tasty and original combination!

Honestly such a cute diner. It is very much 50s themed and it is such an amazing atmosphere. At each table there is trivia cards based on the pre2000s and it was some great fun. Service was amazing, food came out fast and the food was amazing quality and for a great price. My eggs + bacon + toast + fries were only $10. Honestly a great place to visit, would highly recommend

Eating at Mel s has always Been a great experience for me! The staff is friendly. Their breakfast always hits the right spot. The waiting time differs and depends on event that you choose

Old traditional looking diner. Food is tasty, big potions, great value. Staff are friendly and service is good.

Delicious breakfast. Servers were awesome! Thank you Hannah and Taylor! So kind and always ready to serve. Definitely coming back next time I have breakfast in Waterloo.

Eggs Benedict and the potatoes were really good. And nice service

damn expensive, i dont even know what to order here bc nothing is ever worth when it comes out

Everything about this place was extremely nice, Ill be back for more.

Going on the weekend means wait times and not easy to hear one and other. But the music and the theme is great. Service is friendly and quick. Lastly the food didn t blow my mind but it was good.

Perfectly adequate diner food. Nice staff, but can get very busy.

Really happy with the food and service here, reasonable prices and classic vibe. Large portions. My daughter loves that they serve pancakes all day, seems to be one of the few places around to order all-day breakfast. Kid-friendliness: Crayons, kids meals and specials, booth seating

I havent been here for 25 years but its just the way I remember it. The milkshakes and all day breakfast are still great and decently priced. But its the atmosphere that makes this place memorable.

This is a great place if you don t have high expectations. The food is average. The service is not the best. The prices are alright though. Mel s on University Ave. In Waterloo serves the University crowd (University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University and Conestoga College) so don t expect sophisticated ambience. Parking: Numerous spots

Its so good foods and nice arrangement for the available chair....good service.thanks alot.

As soon as you walk in, great service. Everyone is very lovely. The diner has a great vibe to it. Diverse menu with the ability to do a lot of substitutions. Their beyond meat burber was super good , just wished I knew they charged an extra $1.50 to make it beyond meat. Portions were huge which I loved. Tried the orange milkshake, not my favorite. Everyone enjoyed the food and had a blast. Server was super nice as well. One thing I wished was that the prices were a tad lower. Vegetarian options: Lots of vegetarian options on the menu snr they also have a vegan menu. Dietary restrictions: Halal beef burger and chicken burger but proceed with caution. Parking: They have free parking but I think there is a 2 hour limit. Wheelchair accessibility: Wheelchair accessible and also just a very inclusive place in general.

Staff very friendly. Food was very good.

First, the picture that shows up isnt the university Ave location so just a heads up on that. I took my daughter here for breakfast on a random week day and it was great! Our serve was great! He was very helpful and thoughtful (gave my daughter a quarter for the gum ball machine). The food was great and came out quickly! We will definitely go back!

Great place for all day breakfast. Best place for 50s vibes. Chill diner experience

Visited this location with a friend with accessibility needs. Joyce did everything to accommodate her, she was very helpful throughout our lunch. Great food and even better customer service. 5/5

Had an excellent all-day breakfast here. Great service, food was excellent and very reasonably priced, and a really fun and clean atmosphere.

Best breakfast poutine in KW

One of my favourite spot for the dine-in. I would recommend this restaurant as the food quality is amazing.