For Universal Fan Fest Nights, Universal Studios Hollywood has introduced “Back to the Future”-inspired dishes to the Mel’s Diner menu.
Time Machine Melt – $15.99
Pastrami melt with Swiss cheese and cabbage slaw served on toasted sourdough, served with fries
This is distinguished from the other sandwich with a “Speed Limit 88” sign on top. The pastrami is okay for fast food. We got saltiness but not much else from it. The accompaniments overpowered the meat.
We’re not sure what the sauce is — maybe Thousand Island, which is on the burger below. The toasted bread was as hard as a rock. This is edible, but we wouldn’t recommend it.
Rating out of 7: 3
Flux Capacitor Patty Melt – $14.99
All beef patty, sweet caramelized onions, American cheese, and Thousand Island dressing served on a Flux Capacitor-branded sourdough, served with fries
Our patty melt had a bit of a time shift as all the onions were on one side, and our flux capacitor brand was off center. Despite the disappointing appearance, though, this is better than the pastrami sandwich. The hamburger patty is bad, and the American cheese tastes like a Kraft single, but the onions are nice.
Strangely, this bread was great. It’s the same toasted sourdough as the pastrami, but we must have gotten better slices for this sandwich. It’s buttery, fresh, and soft under the toasted layer.
Rating out of 7: 5
The steak fries served with both meals are the best thing we’ve eaten at any Mel’s around the world. They have lightly salted, crispy, golden brown exteriors and doughy interiors. They’re a 7 on their own and bring both meals up a point.
Doc Brown’s Chicken Pot Pie – $14.99
Cheeto-dusted chicken pot pie
This is an homage to the former Doc Brown’s Chicken restaurant at Universal Studios Hollywood. It was near Back to the Future: The Ride, which was turned into The Simpsons Ride. The restaurant later became Cletus’ Chicken Shack.
The chicken pot pie is pretty pedestrian. It tastes like something we could have made in the microwave. The crust is buttery and flaky, but not fresh. The actual pot pie is not overly seasoned. It has a good flavor. The chicken is tender and the vegetables are crunchy.
The Cheeto dust on top is supposed to be the radioactive symbol. Of course, it’s not as clear in person as it is in the promotional photos, but it’s still a cute presentation.
Rating out of 7: 3
Outatime Cookie – $5.99
Chocolate malt cookie with Whopper pieces
This has the best presentation of the “Back to the Future” menu items, inspired by the moment the DeLorean travels through time, losing its “OUTATIME” license plate and creating two strips of flame.
Unfortunately, the flavors are middle of the road. There’s a bit of a burn from the malted chocolate. The icing on top is hard, and there are crunchy pieces inside. It’s not particularly good, but it’s edible and worth the photo.
Rating out of 7: 4
Time Traveler’s Milk Shake – $11
Vanilla ice cream, blue raspberry sauce, and whipped cream topped with blue candy, silver sprinkles, with a cherry on top
Inspired by the Enchantment Under the Sea dance, this is a pretty milkshake. Taste-wise, it’s pretty standard. It would be hard to mess up, and they certainly didn’t. It’s a good vanilla shake with a hint of blue raspberry. The blue candies on top are Whoppers.
Rating out of 7: 6
Stay tuned for our full review video, but see our video from social media below:
Check out the “Back to the Future” 40th anniversary merchandise. During the actual after-hours Universal Fan Fest Nights, guests get the opportunity to step into Hill Valley at Courthouse Square and meet characters. The hard-ticket event is on select evenings from April 25 through May 18, 2025.
Other featured fandoms include Star Trek, Dungeons & Dragons, One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Super Nintendo World, and Wicked.
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