In 1947, owners Mel Weiss and Harold Dobbs assembled a staff of 14 carhops to serve passing motorists at the first Mel's Drive-In. For the next two decades, customers partial to automobile dining flocked to the chain’s 11 California locations, eager to wash down grass-fed half-pound burgers with thick milk shakes. As fast-food outlets outpaced the drive-in's once-speedy service, its popularity declined, and it was eventually scheduled for demolition. The building got a temporary reprieve, however, when filmmaker George Lucas decided to use the drive-in's original location on Lombard Street as the colorful backdrop for his film American Graffiti. As bulldozers destroyed the last remnants of the historic drive-in, American Graffiti opened in theaters.
A decade later, though, Mel's son Steven reopened Mel's Drive-In in an attempt to carry on his father's dream. Steven restored the drive-in's multiple locations to mirror their original motif by stocking each with midcentury must-haves such as illuminated marquees, jukeboxes, and Elvis-themed WiFi passwords. The drive-in’s menu, meanwhile, balances period-appropriate fare, such as hot dogs and burgers, with healthy options, such as the Haven’s Famous vegetarian sandwich, two slices of nine-grain bread topped with avocado, sprouts, and tomatoes.
Cafe 50's cultivates a healthy nostalgia for the era of Elvis tunes and poodle skirts with an all-American diner menu. Past a retro jukebox, a long line of round barstools awaits freshly grilled Angus beef burgers and gooey cheese melts complemented by classic soda-fountain shakes and malts. The burger joint also whips up all-day breakfasts of fruity pancakes and veggie-heavy omelets to confuse recently arrived time travelers. Free WiFi entertains munchers, and modish neon signs shine on both indoor booths and outdoor patio tables.
Today's Groupon gets you $22 worth of food, drinks, and people watching at Dukes West Hollywood for $10. If you've been to this Sunset Boulevard institution before, or if you're suffering from debilitating amnesia, it'll be your first time all over again because Top Design's Heather Ashton added a modern twist to the diner's gritty rock 'n' roll ambience. Follow @Groupon_Says on Twitter.
The French Quarter Restaurant has played host to an ample and eclectic variety of edibles during breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 35 years. Early eaters can peruse a morning menu of drinkable delights from bubbly mimosas ($6.95) to Apffels coffee ($2.50) before chowing on the layered flavors of the huevos rancheros ($10.50). The chicken-fried steak ($9.95) keeps an egg sidekick close by to fight off ravenous hunger and its arch-nemesis—beef-fried chicken. Bisect the day with bites from the extensive lunch menu, or skip straight to dinner for braised pot roast ($14.95) or four-cheese rainbow ravioli ($15.95). The French Quartet Restaurant also offers a bevy of drinks and desserts to sate arid palates and quiet spoiled sweet teeth.
For 40 years, the iconic Kelly green exterior of Patrick's Roadhouse has lit up the roadside along the Pacific Coast Highway. Inside, dark wood and checkered floors join stained-glass lamps and hand-painted signs to create the look and feel of a well-worn and cozy haven for travelers. Featured on the Food Network's Diners Drive-Ins and Dives, the menu includes unique classics such as the sweet and savory Dijon plum burger, or the Rockefeller—topped with sour cream, jack cheese, mushrooms, and caviar. Fresh, organic produce acquired daily from the local farmers market piles onto stacks of fluffy pancakes, and slices of the Patrick's 'famous' banana cream pie launch into faces to round out meals.