Mel's Express

Mel's Express

First established in San Francisco in 1947, Mel's Express now is a chain that has 22 locations in northern Nevada and northern California, including one 2014 Kala Bagai Way in Berkeley, California, which I recently visited. (The hours of the Berkeley location are 11:00 am to 9:00 pm daily.)

I decided from the music on the radio, the items on the menu, and the decorations on the wall that it was a relatively authentic mid-twentieth-century fast-food diner. 

I had fun studying the retro decorations on the walls. What really stood out to me was what a cool collection of classic rock memorabilia they had. They had Elvis, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Marley, Chuck Berry, and other early classic rock superstar photos, posters, and even vinyl records. I noticed an old movie poster or two from films I was not familiar with, a nice Muhammed Ali poster, and a black and white photo of Bill Clinton. They had some old soda and ketchup logos, some nice antique vending machines, some cool vintage car photos, and of course some memorabilia from their own brand over the years. 

The music played on the speakers was a compilation of mellow oldies hits. I recognized some but not all of them. They ranged from fifties bop music to eighties pop music, and they definitely added to the old-fashioned vibes. 

The menu had a chicken sandwich, chicken fingers, and a salad in addition to burgers (single, double, or triple), shakes, fries, onion rings, and mozzarella sticks. It also offered a breakfast sandwich, taco, burrito, and burger. The entire menu fits nicely on the wall above the counter, and you can order at the counter or on one of their touch-screen kiosks. 

The prices are very low. For less than $10, I was able to buy a cheeseburger ($5.51 after tax) and a milkshake ($4.41 after tax).  

The burger (pictured above) featured a thin 100% Angus beef patty that was perfectly salted and cooked through. It came with a mostly melted slice of American cheese that was salty, savory, and sticky. It was served on a soft and slightly sweet bun that was slightly toasted. To top it off, it came with fresh and crunchy onion, lettuce, and tomato, which added a refreshing crunch to each bite. It was a very good burger.

My milkshake (pictured below) was an Oreo milkshake, but they also have chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, mocha, coffee, caramel, matcha, Thai tea, and chai tea milkshakes. In addition to being beautiful, it was one of the creamiest and best milkshakes I have ever had. It had a strong vanilla flavor with just the right amount of chewy Oreo bits. It had a soft, creamy consistency--thick, but easy to drink. It was cold but not so cold that it gave me brain freeze. I enjoyed it a lot.

Overall, it was a fun and inexpensive place to eat. The food was affordable and yummy, and the service was fast. I would definitely come again!