Mel's Drive-In brought its retro American diner format to downtown Nashville, setting up on 2nd Avenue inside a building with a layered past — once B.B. King's Blues Club, and before that a 19th-century vault used to store gold and silver.
The menu runs on diner fundamentals: breakfast and brunch served all day, smash burgers, hand-spun shakes, and other comfort plates. Neon signage and jukebox-style tables set a retro scene against one of 2nd Avenue's more historic addresses.
Regulars point to hot chicken and fried dishes among the standouts, and the room has built a reputation for knowledgeable, attentive service in a space that leans into vintage diner atmosphere.
The menu runs on diner fundamentals: breakfast and brunch served all day, smash burgers, hand-spun shakes, and other comfort plates. Neon signage and jukebox-style tables set a retro scene against one of 2nd Avenue's more historic addresses.
Regulars point to hot chicken and fried dishes among the standouts, and the room has built a reputation for knowledgeable, attentive service in a space that leans into vintage diner atmosphere.