This is such a tough one for me. I really love Mel himself. Flat-out carried that show — he was the only character with a funny line. His diner, however, lacks the amusement park atmosphere of Arnold's. I mean, what didn't happen in Arnold's? It was almost like Milwaukee was no bigger than the diner and parking lot.

Having lived in Milwaukee for the past 18 years, I absolutely have to go with Happy Days.
Sadly, Milwaukee has few places that actually look like Arnold's, and nothing at all that commemorates the fact that the TV show was set in our town. (I did get to have a quick conversation with David Lander, who played Squiggy on the spinoff Laverne and Shirley when he was in town during the summer. Nice guy! He has MS and travels the nation trying to bring more awareness of the disease.)
There is one place, Miss Katie's Diner, that resembles Arnold's and is near Marquette University's campus. When President Clinton made his last visit to Milwaukee, coming here with German Chancellor Kohl, that is where they ate lunch. The owners of the fancy German restaurants were pissed that Clinton's handlers didn't take Kohl to one of their restaurants!

If it was cool enough for The Fonze, it has to be cool enough for me. I've got to vote Arnold's. Who's name wasn't on that bathroom wall?

I'm going to vote for Arnolds because a. I was in love with the Fonze and b. I don't even know the show where Mel's is from.
I really want to vote for the Peach Pit tho. (Showing my age aren't I??)

Oh c'mon, everyong know Mel's Diner was in the heart of Phoenix, AZ, where the sun is hot and the coffee is not. And neither, apparently, were the women. Not if Flo was the most desirable gal in town.

Arnolds hands down. First it was a classier looking joint. But the following are the real reasons, lots of cute little bobbysoxers, short asian owner prone to barely understandable hysterics (Wax on, Wax off), easily manipulated jukebox, food actually looked ok, no rules against driving bikes inside, and where else could you find a guy named Ralph Malph. Must put bid in for Monk's a place where flatchested women can't get hired to be a waitress.

Gotta vote for Arnold's. If nothing else, it would have given me a shot at nailing Erin Moran (before she went crazy).

I have to say Al's. Mel's didn't have anyone as cool as Pinky Tuscadero, in her pink leather, hanging out in it.

Truly, Monk's would have been my vote, had you included it. I love any place I can get a BIG salad...

I meant to say Arnold's in my last post...where the hell did I get Al's? Wasn't one of the owners of Arnold's named Al?

I am blonde--it happens...

I've got to go with Mel's. He didn't take any shit. I'm not so sure about a place where the coolest guy in the building hangs out in the bathroom and calls it his office.

TTman, are you serious about having a shot at Erin Moran? I don't see it.

Oh... wow. I want to say Mel's simply b/c I love Flo and her trashy trailer diner working ways. But I love me some Arnold and Fonze too. I'll go with Happy Days simply b/c it has a much cooler ambiance.

Arnold's is the clear-cut winner of Mel's Diner. But who was the better owner of Arnold's? Arnold himself, or his successor, Al?

I've got to go with Arnold, although the actor who played Al actually is from Wisconsin, hailing from Kenosha. When Al Molinaro joined the cast, the number of references to Kenosha increased dramatically!

If another person spells Fonz with an e I'm shutting down the site. It's Fonz! F-O-N-Z. He's only the coolest guy in TV history for god's sake. Audiences roared when he walked into Arnold's.

Arnold's.....Mel's was as disgusting as Mel.

The one thing that was not cool about the Fonz was the way he danced. Looking back, The Fonz was a 30 something, hanging out with dorky teenagers (except for Pinky Tuscadero), played slow songs only on the jukebox and danced like he was at a jewish wedding. How did we ever come to think that he was the coolest?

I guess the whole innocence and clean humor is what made the show appealing. I loved Happy Days and then it was followed up by Laverne & Shirley-another great old show. That was the best part about being home sick from school as a kid-- reruns of all of these shows.

Arnold's. Where else can you hve a cool guy who usually wears a black/brown leather jackup suddenly where a white outfit including white dorky helmet and do a motorcycle jump only to crash into chickend? Oh yeah, don't forget LEATHER Tuscadero too.

I would pick Arnold's over Mel's. Just for the simple fact I like the booths, and would rather hook up with Fonzie instead of Nancy McKeown's brother who played Alice's son.

Although Happy Days was a cool enough show, they really over did it with the whole Fonzarelli thing - he was just the coolest of the nerds, that's all.

But Alice! Whoa! What a show! At least while Flo was on there - Charlene was a little much and so was the old broad...can't remember her character's name (played by Diane Ladd). It got worse when they had Vera marry that schmoe Elliott - does Vera look like the kind of girl who'd marry a Yid? NOT! lol

No Contest. Al's was hoppin and boppin. Mel's was just Floppin. The best Food was at Al's.... except for the Fish. Mel's was a greasy spoon that specialized in Eggs and Coffee. Al's was the best hang out spot too. Cute girls, Music and fun. There was nothing fun about Mel's Diner except for when Mel would yell at Vera. Poor guy was so stressed out that he ended up having a heart attack. It's an easy choice for me to make. I'm going to Al's Tonight!