A local reviews Mel’s Classic Diner in Pigeon Forge
There is a reason the classic American diner has endured from its heyday in the 1950s into modern times. And it goes well beyond nostalgia. You give the right person a griddle and a few classic ingredients, and magic happens. There are a lot of great dining options in the mountains, including some truly fantastic, high-end choices. But sometimes, you just want a classic burger and crispy French fries. Also, if you’re feeling indulgent, a classic banana split for dessert is the way to go.
For more than 30 years, Mel’s Classic Diner – located on Wears Valley Road in Pigeon Forge – has been dishing out classic American Diner fare from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Thursday and until midnight Friday and Saturday. Mel’s is closed Sundays.
IN THIS ARTICLE
What’s on the menu?
Classic diner fare from breakfast to dinner with a few Southern classics thrown in the mix. Mel’s offers everything on the menu all day long.
Mel’s breakfast
Options include classics like pancakes, hashbrowns, eggs, biscuits with gravy and more. Lunch includes salads and soups. Don’t miss the homemade chili, it hits just right. I can’t speak for the salads. I’m sure they’re fine. However, part of me suspects they’re on the menu as a test to suss out spies or vegetarians or vegetarian spies. I don’t mean to denigrate anyone’s lifestyle choices. Live and eat however it pleases you. But I don’t know that classic American diners and vegetarians are a match made in heaven.
Mel’s lunch and dinner
Options consist mainly of whatever you can cook on a griddle or in a frier. We’re talking classic burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches – which are named after celebs from the heyday of diners like James Dean, Chubby Checker and Buddy Holly. Do I order the Big Bopper bacon cheeseburger because I like a good bacon cheeseburger or because I do an excellent Big Bopper impression? The answer is yes.
The home cookin’ options skew a little more towards classic Southern cuisine than diner fare. There’s a Nashville Hot Chicken that my digestive system refuses to allow me to try. There’s also pot roast, pulled pork, beef liver and onions.
It wouldn’t be an authentic diner without an array of floats, shakes and malts. But there are also homemade desserts like peach cobbler, brownies or freshly baked cinnamon rolls. But if you’re gonna go, go all out. The six scoop banana split is legendary and perfect for sharing… or not. There’s also a three-scoop version for those who want to be able to function for the rest of the day.
After over 30 years in business, Mel’s has perfected the game. It’s not fancy. It’s not elevated. It is quite good, especially in the late evening when diner food hits just right.
Why does the merch say, “Kiss my Grits?”
Buckle up. We’re about to go down a rabbit hole.
When Mel’s Diner in Pigeon Forge opened in 1993, “Alice,” the classic CBS sitcom, had only been off the air for eight years. A sensation in the late 70s and early 80s, the show was based on the 1974 Martin Scorsese film, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.” The sitcom ran from 1976 to 1985. It followed Alice as she made her way to LA with her son to pursue a singing career following the tragic death of her husband – ’70s sitcoms liked to give you a gut punch with the laughs.
Their car broke down in Pheonix, and without the money to fix it, Alice takes a job at the local Mel’s Diner. Mel – played by the great Vic Tayback – was a grouchy cook with a heart of bronze who looked after the waitresses but didn’t pay them particularly well. Hilarity, hijinks and some very special lessons ensued. In nine seasons, Alice, played by Linda Lavin, never earned enough to make it the rest of the way to LA. But her son grew up and went to college and many co-stars came and went.
One of those co-stars was Flo – played by the otherwise forgettable Polly Holliday. Flo was a tall, gum-smacking, sassy blonde Southerner who would put Mel in his place by telling him to “Kiss my Grits.” It became a massive catchphrase – the late ’70s and early ’80s were a strange time – on par with Arnold’s “Watchu Talkin’ Bout, Willis?” The catchphrase power was so strong that Holliday got her spinoff series, “Flo,” which lasted for two seasons in 1980 and 1981. The catchphrase “Kiss my Grits” has lingered and lives on through Mel’s Classic Diner merch.
Is Mel’s Diner Worth It?
Heck yeah. The prices are pretty budget-friendly, and the food is good. As a child of the ’70s and ’80s who grew up immersed in ’50s culture – I’m not kidding about the Big Bopper thing – I also find the vibes here to be a lot of fun in a “Back to the Future” kind of way. If you’re looking for a classic bite – possibly slightly indulgent – especially in the later hours of the evening, you could do a lot worse than Mel’s Classic Diner.
Have you been to Mel’s? Let us know what you think in the comments. Are you planning a trip to the Smoky Mountains soon? Make sure to check out our coupons page before your trip!