Mel's Drive-In On Van Ness at Geary

Let's start with an old favorite, Mel's Drive-In, on Van Ness at Geary.

My most recent visit was Friday, March 7, 2008, at 11:35 a.m.

Pluses:

They serve my favorite combination, which is two slices of French toast, one scrambled egg, and two slices of bacon, and they are all are very good quality at a price today of $8.35. I don't know where they get their eggs, but "one egg" is often half a plateful (though not this visit, so they may have started to pay more attention to how much is served), and they cook it faithfully to order. The bacon is thick but not too thick, and flavorful, and also cooked to order. Syrup comes in a tiny pitcher, warmed. Ketchup did not require brute force blows or table knife surgery to coax out. Coffee is a step above typical diner fare, quite delicious, though the fresh pot tasted a little burnt for some reason. Sugar is served from a pourer and not packets. Half and half is prepackaged.

Minuses:
Normally I am seated at a table near the outside window, which I enjoy, but the tables and chairs are uncomfortable, and there is only one booth that is small enough to reasonably accommodate one person (I got that table today! Woo!). The music is frequently too loud and of the variety (50s pop oldies e.g. Yakkity Yak) that need never, ever, be heard again by anyone, at any time, though this visit it was quiet and was playing "off-tracks" of Buddy Holly and Gene Vincent, that is, songs from the collections you don't hear as often. I enjoyed that. The screaming baby across the room, not so much. Nor the couple in the humongous booth who were sitting next to each other instead of across from each other. Nor the Easter decorations and balloons that made me feel like I was in a kindergarten.

Coffee, in typical diner-sized mugs, is at $2.21 a bit pricey.

This is not a place you linger, casually drinking coffee and finishing up the paper. But it is a place where you can get good food.

My tab came to $13 including tax.

Menu: http://www.melsdrive-in.com/menu/breakfast.html