Mel's Drive-in
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Justin Montano

If you’re hungry late at night, Mel’s Drive-In is still a good place to stop for eats and treats. The neon lettering, chrome trim, diner booths, and jukebox decorations recreate the days when cruising and a midnight milkshake went together.

Mel Weiss and Harold Dobbs opened the original Mel’s on South Van Ness Avenue in 1947. That drive-in became famous after appearing in George Lucas’s American Graffiti, although the building was demolished in 1976. Mel’s son Steven Weiss revived the family name with a new Lombard Street restaurant in 1985.

UPDATE: Mel’s Drive-In remains active with several San Francisco locations, including restaurants on Lombard Street, Geary Boulevard, Mission Street, and Van Ness Avenue. The original 1947 drive-in is gone, but its neon styling, burgers, shakes, and late-night diner atmosphere continue through the modern chain. 09-26

Mike's Truckee Diner
Truckee, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Here’s a shot of the Truckee Diner in, where else, Truckee. The stainless-steel dining car looks right at home beside the railroad tracks, although it traveled a very long way to get there.

Built by the Kullman Dining Car Company in New Jersey in 1948, the diner spent more than four decades as the Birmingham Grille in West Chester, Pennsylvania. It was hauled across the country on a flatbed trailer and arrived in Truckee in July 1995, reopening that December as Andy’s Truckee Diner.

UPDATE: The restaurant remains open as Jax At The Tracks following an extensive restoration of its stainless steel, glass blocks, and porcelain finishes. Although early RoadsidePeek records call it Mike’s Truckee Diner, no official record confirms that Mike’s was ever its operating name. 09-26

Ed's Diner (Closed)
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Here’s Ed’s Diner as the evening crowd settles in for a meal. Although early RoadsidePeek notes listed it under San Francisco, the little diner actually stood on Grand Avenue in downtown South San Francisco.

Dating back to 1942, Ed’s was a narrow counter-style diner serving generations of industrial workers and neighborhood regulars. Customers could watch eggs, potatoes, and corned beef hash being cooked directly on the flat-top grill while sitting on one of the swivel stools.

UPDATE: Ed’s Diner closed permanently after roughly 80 years of service. The tiny building remains vacant, while the script neon sign with its small star accents still hangs above the entrance. 09-26