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                                February 26, 1998



Sizzler International, Inc.
6101 West Centinela Boulevard, Suite 200
Culver City, California 90230

        Re:    Registration Statement on Form S-8

Ladies and Gentlemen:

        We have acted as counsel to Sizzler International, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the preparation of a
Registration Statement on Form S-8 to be filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Registration Statement"), with respect to the registration
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of 400,000 shares of Common Stock
of the Company (the "Shares") pursuant to the Company's 1997 Non-Employee
Directors' Stock Incentive Plan (the "Plan").

        We have examined, among other things, the Company's Articles of
Incorporation and Bylaws, each as amended to date, the Plan and records of
corporate proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the authorization,
issuance and sale of the Shares pursuant to the Plan. Based on the foregoing and
in reliance thereon, it is our opinion that the Shares, when they are issued
pursuant to the Plan, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

        We hereby consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement.

                                Very truly yours,

                      /s/ Pachulski, Stang, Ziehl & Young P.C.

                             Pachulski, Stang, Ziehl & Young P.C.

DJB:bas



                                   EXHIBIT 5.1