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For many years, Merced lacked an "old school" diner, that served classic diner cuisine. Early last year, Scotts Diner came to town, and brought back to Merced the kind of "Americana" cuisine that you grew up loving. As with all of reviews that I publish, I have no affiliation with the restaurant reviewed, and there is no monetary gain on my part, as I am simply a person who likes to eat, and I love to write-up, and publish my dining experiences.
Photo: It's 07:00 in the morning - opening time - on Sunday, February 19, 2023 at Scotts Diner, located on Childs Ave. in Merced, CA. The restaurant is just off busy California State Route 99, and in the year or so the restaurant has been open, has become a go-to diner for Merced locals, and travelers on Highway 99, and all who appreciate fine diner cuisine. Does this building look familiar? Before Scotts Diner came to town, it was Mi Casa Cafe, a fine Mexican restaurant that closed back in October 2018 after 22 years of serving the Merced community. Back on Friday, June 02, 2006, I had a chance to enjoy the fine Mexican cuisine... click on THIS LINK to read the article.
Photo: As you walk in the door, you'll be greeted by a friendly staff member, who will welcome you to the restaurant, and make you feel at home. Scotts is a diner, so there is no reserved seating, and you can enjoy fine dining at any open booth, table or seat at the counter. If you're a fan of "Americana," especially John Wayne, you'll enjoy lots of John Wayne photos and memorabilia that decorate the restaurant.
Photo: The dining room is very open, well lighted, comfortable and cheerful. Like all amazing diners, there is a counter, which makes dining a pleasure if you're dining solo. The furniture is a mixture of booths and tables, with several television monitors, tuned to sports. The atmosphere is very pleasant, and very "old school diner..."
Photo: Each table is set with ketchup, Chulula Mexican hot sauce, Tabasco sauce, with salt and pepper. The walls are decorated with pictures and photos of John Wayne, other vintage movie stars, and military photos. Scotts Diner isn't fancy, but the food is great and the atmosphere is cozy and inviting.
Photo: Flash back to Friday, June 02, 2006 and this is nearly the same view as the photo above, when the restaurant was Mi Casa Cafe. Click on the photo to enjoy our visit to Mi Casa...
Photo: The complete breakfast menu is listed on the first page, and includes all of your breakfast favorites.
Photo: Flip the menu over, and you can select from lunch, dinner, or "Diner Classic" selections. How about a "Burger Basket?" Sounds good to me...
Photo: Like most "old school" diners, Scotts Diner features a window-to-the-kitchen and a pick-up table, where staff puts the final touch on every meal. Note the "order wheel" which is now enjoys the same status of a pay phone, thanks to the technology of the 2020's. The talented chef is at work in the kitchen, as Alejandra waits to pick up my breakfast order.
Photo: Merced enjoys a rich military and aviation heritage, and until the mid 1990's was co-host to nearby Castle Air Force Base, which was a S.A.C. base, and a hotbed of military activity during the Cold War era. Many photos and posters decorate the walls, celebrating the military legacy that Merced enjoys.
Photo: I absolutely love this painting, which is posted behind the counter, near the kitchen door. How many of these classic movie stars can you recognize?
Photo: Meet my super friendly hostess, Alejandra, who brought my delicious breakfast to me with a smile. Alejandra provided amazing service, and treated me like family.
Photo: I hold on to a bottle of ketchup, and give my best "diner smile," as I'm ready to enjoy breakfast at Scotts Diner. Thanks to my hostess, Alejandra, for taking my photo. My breakfast was so delicious that I never got to open the ketchup bottle. I wasn't in a hurry on this early Sunday morning, but my breakfast arrived about 15 minutes after I placed my order, which made for really fast service!
Photo: From the "Breakfast" menu, I went with the flagship offering, "New York Steak." I ordered my two eggs fried "sunnyside up," along with hash browns, and sourdough as my toast of choice. Side options were country potatoes or fruit, and toast options included white, wheat and rye, besides the sourdough I ordered. I didn't see sides of gravy on the menu, which was a disappointment. The main attraction my breakfast was the slab of New York Steak, which was a generous cut, most likely about 6 or 7 ounces, and cooked medium, as per my request. When you order your steak, your host/hostess will ask you for your preference, which is a nice thing. My steak arrived seasoned, seared on the outside, and grilled perfectly medium, which just enough juice to lend an addled dimension of flavor to the amazing hash brown potatoes. The steak was well trimmed of fat, but with just enough fat left on for flavor - fat equals flavor - and was not at all difficult to remove. This was a New York cut of steak, not a filet mignon, so it inherently wasn't fork tender, but with the supplied steak knife, it was easy to cut, and was as tender and juicy as any New York cut of steak that I've ever had the pleasure to enjoy. Delicious! The hash brown potatoes were hidden under the toast, but, like a well-kept secret, they were simply delicious! The hash browns were fried to a light golden brown on the outside, with just enough "crisp" to enjoy, and were tender and juicy on the inside. There were enough hash browns to keep me going for the rest of the day, as the portions served at Scotts Diner are more than ample! I loved the hash browns... I ordered my two eggs fried sunnyside up, and that's how they arrived, perfect fried, as ordered. I was pleasantly surprised at my sourdough toast, as the slices were so thick they reminded me of "Texas toast." Each slice was perfectly toasted and buttered evenly, and worked well to sop up juices from the meat and eggs. Alejandra brought a bottle of ketchup, a bottle of Cholula Mexican hot sauce, along with salt and pepper. My breakfast so delicious that the ketchup and Cholula weren't touched, as I all used was a little salt and pepper to spice things up a notch. I absolutely ADORE "old school" diner breakfasts, and Scotts Diner serves a delicious breakfast, worthy in the tradition of every fine, family owned and operated, that has served Merced, and the greater San Joaquin Valley. Scotts Diner is a welcome addition to the Merced dining community... The food is simply delicious! It's the classic "Americana" cuisine that's been served in roadside diners for many years, and it's authentic MERCED in every way! Fine dining is yours to enjoy, every day of the week, at Scotts Diner, located in Merced, CA. Scotts Diner Copyright(c) 2023 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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