Strat’s Diner
231 E North Ave, Villa Park, IL, 60181
Strat’s Diner Menu
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Address :
231 E North Ave
Villa Park, IL, 60181 - Phone (630) 832-0435
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :10:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : No
Drive-Thru : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Burgers
Burger or Hamburger is savored as the most desired fast food meal in the United States. A hamburger is basically a sandwich prepared by stuffing ground meat patty, generally beef, between two slices of a bun cut in half. Hamburger is also famous for its seasoning. Most popular condiments used in hamburgers in the United States are mustard, mayonnaise, and ketchup. Besides ground meat patty, hamburgers are also stuffed with lettuce, onions, tomato slices, pickles, and cheese.
Hamburgers are also categorized into two types in the United States. Fast food hamburger and individual hamburgers served at restaurants are two basic types of burgers served in the United States. The individual hamburgers served at restaurants are prepared using everything including lettuce, onion, tomato, and sliced pickles as well as melted cheese on the patty or crumbled on top. American restaurants also serve veggie burgers for those who don't relish meat. Cheeseburgers are also hot favorite in the United States.
McDonalds is the most popular fast food burger restaurant serving different types of burgers in the United States. On the other hand, there are several restaurants such as Burger King are famous for serving the best hamburgers in the United States. Most burger restaurants in the United States often serve hamburgers with French fries and other condiments. If you have a liking for burgers in the United States, then you won't be disappointed. You can easily find the best burger restaurants in your city on our Restaurants Listings directory. Check the reviews and ratings of the top burger restaurants and savor yourself with the best hamburger in the city.
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
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Tim H.
I was in the area and gave them a gander. I didn't enjoy it enough to return, but it wasn't dreadful. Single cheeseburgers are hand formed and fresh. Raw Onion, Tomato, Lettuce is how I judge a burger. I prefer Hamburger Heaven's burger. The Fresh cut fries were too soggy for my liking, but had anticipated taking them home. They'll crisp up nicely. Onion Rings seemed to be generic and the barbecue sauce, which is provided, was a nice touch vs ketchup.
(3)Diane K.
Nice classic car drive-thru. I saw all types and models. Fun to people watch too. Food was cool!
(4)Martin K.
Best burger place I have ever been, right size, texture , flavor.. Burgers are very juice and not fatty..excellent atmosphere.. Try a homemade banana shake as well.. A MUST have..
(5)Miguel S.
Whether you will like Strat's as much as I do depends on what particular dishes you enjoy because some are very good and some only OK. I recommend their onion rings, steak sandwich, and chili. Their hot dog is good too, but only if you ask them to grill it (if you can wait a few minutes). For a drink, try a chocolate malted shake. Although Strat's menu is somewhat similar to Portillo's, the food at Strat's is better enough than Portillo's that it's somewhat insulting to Strat's to compare them.
(4)janice m.
Love going here on a weekend afternoon with the kids for lunch because they love the train. The food is great, the fries are yummy and the people who work here are always so nice. The shakes here taste like the old fashioned ones you would get when you went to a drug store soda fountain! Gotta say everything we have ever had has been tasty, fresh and hot. What more could we ask for!!!!
(4)Steven M.
I didn't go to Portillo's because I wanted to Yelp something new. Fuck that next time. This place sucks. I parked in back and walked around to the side and the front of the building and all the doors were locked? I walked to the opposite side and finally got in. This must have been a sign. I looked over the menu which has a lot of stuff on it. And I saw some foot long italian sausages on the grill. Great, I got that with large fries and a pop. That thing must have been on the grill for a week. It was as dry as a bone and had absolutely no taste. The fries come in a cardboard tray and it was about 1/2 full. I thought that I got the large? I'm done with this place too. Oh, yah. They have a choo choo spinning around the ceiling of this place for the kids. And hopefully you won't notice how bad the food is.
(2)kelly c.
I go to this place a lot. It's never terribly crowded, and that's a shame. I think it's a case of familiarity -- people go to McDonald's time and time again because it's familiar, not because it's necessarily that good. If these Big Mac munchers would look outside of the box for a minute, they'd be in for a real treat. This is a fast food joint, but their menu is massive, and the offerings aren't 'fast food' by any means - Pure Beef Black Angus Burgers, USDA Choice Grade Ribeye Steaks, Fresh Squeezed Lemonade, Fresh (Real) Strawberry Shakes, Corned Beef and Pastrami, Southern Fried Chicken Dinner... I could go on. They have proper dinners if you'd like, but the endless fast food options are what entice me. Every Sunday is $1.25 hot dogs - Chicago-style of course. But they have daily specials that are always a great value. My favorite thing to get here is the Tuna Croissant Sandwich. A huge croissant, tuna salad, lettuce, tomato, and fresh shredded Kraft cheddar if you ask. The Grilled Chicken Pita is not on their menu board, but it's a great thing to order. The chicken is marinated in some sort of deliciousness and charcoal grilled. The pita comes with fresh onion, tomatoes, and tziki sauce. The pasta salad is less than $4 and I usually get two two meals out of it. Ask for their delicious grilled chicken on top! It comes with the dressing on the side, which I appreciate, because it saves better and I tend to use less dressing than most people. Heck, it's so good, I often don't even use the dressing. Grilled Cheese -- they have one ways with American or two ways with American and Mozz. Ask for garlic butter for extra deliciousness, or ask for it on rye with tomato. Tamales or bowls of chili make good alternatives to their large basket of crinkle-cut fries. They also have soup when it's cold outside. Oh, and if I skip the shake, I always get their iced tea with lemon. Large. For some reason, their iced tea is always really good. Think Portillos, but better with a huge selection.
(4)matthew c.
Strats? I love this place! Do yourself a favor and stop by. In an area saturated by this type of fare, Strats rises considerably higher than the competition by using the highest quality ingredients, delivering consistantly delicious meals and maintaining attitudes genuinely excited to accomodate guests. Daily specials, resonable prices nestled in a fun "vintage 50s" environment.
(5)Jesse P.
Well, as a walk in off the streets Strat's looks like the perfect place for a Friday afternoon work lunch. An old drive-thru screaming the 1950's, full of cool memorabilia from the old days and boasting collectible car shows in the summer. I am sure this place was rock 'n' roll years ago...but they must of changed owners at some point or it just went to hell really fast. I asked the dude at the register what was good and got a look instead of an answer. How about the pastrami or corned beef? Since it was on the specials....uhh yeah the reuben is good he said, real convincing. I tried it anyways. Bad mistake, the greasiest sandwich I have ever eaten and you could tell the corned beef wasn't the freshest. The fry's were good since they were made from fresh potatoes but so damn greasy, soaked in oil. My brother had the Italian beef which was a grease bomb too! More like Strat's grease factory than drive-thru. Like I said, I'm sure this place was awesome years ago (or maybe the cook and cashier were subbing out someone who actually knows how to run a hot dog joint) But today, your much better off going to Portillo's down the street...which we mistakenly opted out of last minute.
(1)Dred H.
I can't tell you how many times I've eaten at Strats. Seriously, I can't. Once, definitely, maybe twice. But I've BEEN there a lot. There's a motorcycle cruise night there once a week all summer long. Oh, and they do have really good onion rings. And big cans of energy drinks as well. Which is a plus.
(3)Stella O.
We dined in. Fresh cut fries, a ruben, and cheesy double burger is what my family and I had the other day; they were freshly made and hot when we received them. The folks behind the counter were nice and said "thank you". Diner was clean and decor was very pleasing to the eye with the planes hanging from the ceiling and old gas pump around the corner. Ladies bathroom was clean. Great for all ages! We will return.
(5)Rehan A.
There Salmon Sandwich with potato salad with the special bbq sauce and steak is amazing. First of all strats special steak entre is the best steak i ever tried in my life. Amer and ray recommended from the pc store couple blocks away. Oh my God.......the steak is the juiciest most tastily drizzlingly sizzingly delicious and off the table hands down best steak in town.
(5)Erick H.
Good, fresh food, made to order. Yes, the onion rings are frozen, but they do have fresh-cut fries if you ask for them. Burgers are great, pastrami is great, and they have specials all the time.
(4)Lamont J.
The food here was great. Tasty burgers, seasoned fries at a moderate price! The ambiance of the restaurant was a cool fifties theme. I didn't take pics of it because I want you too experience it firsthand! There is a yelp event here tomorrow. Don't miss it!
(4)Kari M.
Strats has delicious options that no one place offers! Must trys are: 2 - way grilled cheese with American and mozzarella cheeses. The tavern ham and cz- the ham is so good!!! Beef and cheddar crossiant is my all time favorite! Their grilled chicken is awesome... try the grilled chicken pita with tomatos, onion and tziki sauce!! ... good cheeseburgers.. great chicago style hot dogs! Strat is a one of a kind resturant owner, truly dedicated to his customers!!!! Keep the yummy food coming!
(5)Michelle B.
This place is so good! The cheese /chili cheese dogs and French fries were awesome! We also had a Tavern Ham and cheese which was one of the best I've ever had. The meat was not fatty at all! For dessert I had a strawberry milkshake which was fabulous and was made with real strawberries! Last but not least the owner was such a nice man! He talked to us for a while and recommend several items! Oh, and they came around with free samples of ice cream! :)
(5)Sarah S.
Yep it is good. World's Best Reuben...I agree! Co-Workers grab a burger & italian beef and they loved it! The fries were fabulous as well, fresh cut, yummm! -Recommend getting the juice for the italian beef- The atmosphere is great. Lots to look at see. All sorts of timeless decor to view. Great job Strat! We will be back!!
(5)MrChubs Z.
Great family-owned business serving authentic Chicago eats. I recently sold a car and the 2 brothers who flew in from Maryland to pick it up. They were only in town for a couple hours and asked me about the Chicago food experience. Deep dish pizza was out of the question so I suggested hot dogs. We stopped into Strat's on the way home and Strat layed it on thick giving these out-of-towners the full Chicago experience. The hot dogs, Italian beefs (juicy of course), and fresh cut REAL fries were totally killer. This is a great place to take your kids because there's lots of stuff to look at here with the old memorabilia, etc...
(5)M O.
Perfect bacon burger and fries were Not too dry nor too greasy. The retro atmosphere seems to have a surprise in every nook, cranny, and corner. The eye catching old signs, advertising, license plates, and random odds and ends give an opportunity for family members to talk about the olden days and to pass on family experiences. Super! And the Malts are amazing ...
(5)J J.
I ordered the ruben as one person recommend with the fries. The ruben had a lot of liquid dripping from it. It tasted like it was sitting in water for a long time. No flavor and diluted fat dripping off. Also, it had way too much salt. The fries were not cooked right. A lot of them stuck together making the inside of the chunk soft and greasy and the outside crisp. I did not like the fries. There was not much taste in the fries. Because they have no system I bet the fries are sometimes right and sometimes like I got. The potato salad side was ok. I like the addition of chopped eggs. I'll go back if I'm in the area because it is ok, and I hope the hamburgers are good. The person I was with lived the Italian beef. Maybe I'll try that next time.
(2)Laura S.
Best cheeseburger hands down. You can't beat the prices either. The grilled onions, which come standard on the burger, are to die for. Hubby says their beefs, Italians, and Reuben's are good to, but I can't tear myself away from the burgers.
(5)NaderandEva M.
Best. Food. Ever. Stop in everytime we are in chicago. The 2 way grilled cheese is unmatched. Chocolate malt is amazing. A must go.
(5)Eric N.
Outstanding food here! The Italian Beef is amazing! So much better than Portillo's or Buona! The steak sandwich is made with a real rib eye steak! Such a great place!
(5)Ashley S.
The two way grilled cheese is seriously to die for! As well as the fresh cut cheese fries. The atmosphere is cozy and full of retro oddities. The service is great, the perfect spot to grab a bite to eat.
(5)Eac E.
As I'm writing this review, I'm thinking about ordering my 3rd burger...oh what the heck, I'm ordering it! I ordered mine with everything and chopped onions instead. Mmmm. Don't 4get the DOG n SUDS Root Beer, a must!
(5)Tiffany P.
Just found out that strats serves pizza and for delivery!!!!!!! Even better, the pizza is amazing!! And it's the best price around!! We are definitely making this our go to place for pizza now. The best sausage, cheese, spices, sauce, crust etc! Please continue to get the word out so u can continue to serve it. My dad and I went there for lunch and heard a man order pizza and I said what? So we inquired and they said yes. We then sat down and a gentleman came out (he was wearing glasses and a hat, didn't get his name) and gave us a flyer. How nice he was!!! Well that made us order pizza tonight. We ordered through TIM and he made and delivered the pizza. TIM is an amazing worker, he made our burgers at lunch too! :) TIM needs to always make the pizza Cuz it's great!!!!
(5)Ruby O.
This place is conveniently on my way to work, and I've been passing by it for the past 3 years, and never noticed it. Which is actually not a bad thing, since I would probably eat there everyday. From the get-go, the place doesn't look like much. Hence the fact it took me three years to notice it was even there. The first time I tried this place was a few weeks ago. I decided to try out their famous hot dogs. To be honest, they kind of reminded me of Gene and Judes. But obviously not as good, and definitely not as fast. I went through the drive thru, and was sitting there for at least a good 15 minutes waiting for my food. Mind you, there were no other cars in front of me. The thing I remember the most about the hot dogs was the fresh cut fries they put on top of them-like Gene and Judes. They were definitely fresh, soft, and had the perfect flavor. The hot dog, although it was definitely good, it just wasn't anything I can't get anywhere else. The second time I tried this place was today. I have to say that aside from the long wait again in the drive thru, I was impressed. This time I got a grilled ham and cheese with french fries. The grilled cheese comes with a side of potato salad as well. So lets dissect; the french fries, as usual, don't disappoint. I can literally eat a whole bag of them in one sitting. I'm willing to wait the long wait they put me through each time just for those puppies. The potato salad wasn't the best. My mom makes AMAZING potato salad, so I guess if I compare it to that, theirs isn't great. To be honest, the biggest turn off for me was that the potatoes were a little under cooked. Now, the grilled ham and cheese is another story. I have to say I was VERY impressed with the quality of their ham. Its so tender and juicy, and they slice it up so thin, it mixes in perfectly with the melted cheese. They use both cheddar and mozzarella. Personally, I can do without the cheddar, I'm more of a mozzarella kinda gal. But nonetheless, it was pretty delicious. I also loved the fact that their bread was toasted to perfection, but still soft. Best part about this visit? I paid $6 for all that food! I couldn't even believe it! I was sure she made a mistake, but the receipt was right! Seriously guys, for the price, it doesn't get much better.
(3)August A.
Awesome place how can you not love this they give you a free tiny scoop of ice cream with every order and best fresh squeezed lemonade you can have in the summertime!
(5)Dawid S.
Good place! So I'm going to break this down. I had the Italian beef with onion rings and my girlfriend got the cheeseburger with fries. We also got the killer chocolate cake to split. The Italian beef is really good! It isn't the best I've had but it's up there in the top 5. It was made perfectly. According to my girlfriend, the cheeseburger was really good, one of the best she's had. We both shared the onion rings and fries. Fries and onion rings are probably one of the best as well. The killer chocolate cake: amazing. Reminds me of the portillos chocolate cake. I loved the atmosphere and friendly staff. The place was clean including the bathroom. The one thing I didn't like: The onion rings. You get 5 and the rest of the basket is fries. I guess it was good for being here the first time, you get to try both. But what if I don't like fries and just wanted a basket of onion rings? I don't know why they only put in 5 onion rings and the rest of the basket with fries. Overall, I would have given this place a 5 but because of the way they did the onion rings I have to give it a 4. It's not because it wasn't good, it's just that what if. What if I don't like fries and can't have them?
(4)Louis P.
Great food! Went with the family and ate lunch. We had the cheeseburgers and were delicious! Also the fries were very good. Shakes were very good also. Ambiance inside is also fun. Good food with great service! Check this place out you'll love it!!
(5)Dinah T.
This was the first time I visited. It's hard to get to this place if you're driving Westbound on North Ave. You'll have to make a Uturn at the next light. When we got there, we meet the owner, he was a nice man thanking us for stopping by. The service was nice and the place was a bit busy looking for me with nostalgistic items everywhere. The place is pretty small, maybe it can fit about 20 people? I came here for the food experience but I wasn't too impressed, boo. Maybe I'm such a Portillo's Italian Beef fan I shouldn't have compared it. Yes the italian beef was meh. My hubby got the Corned Beef sandwich and he said it was too salty tasting for him. He was comparing the sandwich to his Jason Deli in Oak Brook Terrace... Maybe I should read the other yelpers of what they got and try that out next time if there's a next time.
(2)James B.
EAT EAT EAAATTTT!!!!! Stop Wasting your Time Reading this! ITS SIMPLE TO GET TO!!!!!!!!!!!!! ------------Absolutely, The Best Food Idea You Have In This MOMent! The Char-Grill Flavor Gladly Devours your tastes buds! A Char Grilled Ten napkin Juicy Cheese Burger With everything on it... (Ya Ya Get the char grilled onions on it you fool....) A cheese burger that even down to its last 1 inch bite size, still is dressed with its toppings. Strats, a neon sign at the end of a tunnel, fifties style drive in, that isn't even supposed to work any more, in this day and age, of non-sense drive thrus. this taunting, alluring real food made fast still flirts and gets you to sleep with its sexxxy menu of Chicago food. Fresh made daily like any five star Chicago restaurant would offer you, and yes we quite forget mom and pops food venues do create from scratch recipes. it is Delicious! It is Tasty and HOT and Fresh... I eat every where i spend about 1,500 smackers a month,on restaurants. a alot more then they average person! EAT TIL YOU ARE STUFFED!!!! ------These nay sayers... like Tom H over here...or Ruby. they ruin yelp!!!! all these other soul warped individuals that something has most likely died in them, have without a doubt no clue what there talking about with food because there palettes are shit any way, they are over weight, uneducated, underpaid, Most likely religious and truly have a genuine bitterness in there puny hearts for ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS FOOD!!!!!!
(5)Danielle K.
Yum! Good food fun decor and awesome owner! Loved it. Growing up my husband used to always go to car meets there and this is the first time we actually ate there. A fun Sunday.
(5)Carmella P.
STRAT! My friend, what the heck is going on with your place? Few weeks ago, no corned beef. Few days later, still no corned beef AND no pastrami. Few days after that, no power. Few days ago, no brats. You keep saying "sold out", yet, I don't see throngs of customers in line ahead of me, ever...... The really sad part is, while your food is just as good as ever, I don't get to eat it any more. Is this any way to run a business?
(2)Terri E.
I happened to be in the area again so I went back a second time. This time I had the Reuben. It was great! Strat was there this time. He asked if I ever had the potato salad. When I told him that I had not tried it yet, he gave me a sample. OMG!! This is the BEST potato salad I have ever tasted! I bought 2lbs to go to take home. This went along with the chocolate cake, pistachio cake, and brownies I was already planning to take home.
(5)Zach J.
Car tire blew out on North Ave. this afternoon, so I dropped by this place while the mechanic was working on the car. Expect quintessential Chicago hot dog favorites at this place. Very good fresh cut fries. I went with the ribeye steak sandwich since they were promoting it as their #1. I really loved it. Not chewy at all, and seasoned well. Nothing but love for family owned places like this competing with over-priced joints like Portillos. I'll come back when I'm back for work.
(5)Dan B.
In having visited Strat's on a few prior occasions and finding it to be okay, I decided to come back to Strat's and try a menu item here I haven't in previous visits.That's right, today was the day I sample the Strat's Hot Dog. Before getting into my review of the food I should first give a bit of an introduction to Strat's itself. Strat's is a drive thru fast food joint with a distinct 1950s theme. It has lots of Neon lights, is immediately distinguishable when driving down North Avenue and has some unusual decorations on the inside. From 1950s coke bottles, to 1990s iMacs and a very creepy statue. In visiting Strat's on this occasion I decided to try the hot dog. The hot dog came on a soft non-poppy seed bun. The tomato included was a little too watery, the pickle was a nice thickness but a tad on the sour side. There was also one big wedge of cucumber on one side of the hot dog but not on the other so there was no attempt to put cucumber flavor in every bite. I didn't detect any celery salt on the hot dog either. On the plus side the onions, relish and mustard were applied well and evenly throughout the dog. The pepper wasn't too hot and was a nice compliment. Finally the dog itself was the natural casing skinned variety of Vienna Beef hot dogs. These generally hold their flavor a bit better than the skinless type which is more common. Overall though this was a fairly average Chicago style hot dog. The lack of celery salt, sour pickle, strange application of cucumber made this hot dog a bit of a head scratcher. Not bad but not far enough above average to earn four stars.
(3)Pieter W.
So I stopped by Strat's tonight because I wanted to grab a hot dog, and I really liked the decor of this place, such a fun atmosphere... there were even people showing off their classic cars and weekend projects in the lot... really wanted to like this place.... Unfortunately the service left a lot to be desired. Workers noticed me when I walked into the place but nobody offered me service until 10 minutes later. Hey, I understand, you're busy, but a little "hey Sir, how are you doing? We'll be right with you!" goes a long way. The young lady that finally took my order looked at me with so much scorn and contempt that I just felt bad being there. I'm terribly sorry I interrupted your smartphone socializing time. Congrats, Strat's, you had everything going for you then you ruined it for me! On another note, the hog dogs I purchased were very tasty, but really, how bad can one really screw up a Vienna Beef dog? .
(2)Kim M.
The sign reads, "Worlds Best Pastrami Sandwich". Strike 1: They don't have swiss cheese. Strike 2: They don't have french rolls. Strike 3: They made my sandwich hot by nuking it too much, so it was rubbery. Sign should say, "Worlds Worst Pastrami Sandwich". Don't waste your money.
(1)Morris N.
It's always nice to see a family owned hot dog/hamburger type joint. They have a pretty decent menu selection that includes rib eye steak sandwiches, beef sandwich, shrimp dinner, etc. I had a cheeseburger which was fresh, not frozen. Fries were also from fresh cut potatoes. Cheeseburger, fries, and a drink for about ten bucks wasn't bad. Plenty of seating in the dining area which had all kinds of 60-70's knick knacks. They also have a drive thru.
(4)C C.
Cranky woman took my order the first time I tried this place. Gave it another try, still cranky. It's a shame. Food was good but I won't go back.
(2)A D.
No one in line at the drive thru at 6:30 on a Thursday night so I wasn't sure what to expect. A wonderful surprise while we were waiting for our food at yhe drive-thru window was a manager gave me & my kids samples of the vanilla soft serve. Very nice touch! And it was yummy! Son had a cheeseburger, daughter had chicken strips. The chicken came with fries, the burger did not. The fries rocked! Hand cut fries, nice & crispy, hot, & salty! The cheeseburger smelled like it was char - broiled which was nice, but was heavy on a salty seasoning. The chicken strips were quite thin. My daughter said they tasted "odd." I thought they tasted like McDonald's chicken nuggets, but what do I know, since I dislike them anyway? Would return for 2nd chance. Decor outside makes in look like a cool, 50s diner, but with no customer cars in it's lot.
(3)Marylou T.
Absolutely love this place!!! They have fresh meats, fresh fries, and a very friendly staff! Their burgers are to die for and the steak sandwich is very flavorful! I would recommend this joint to everyone!!
(5)Frank L.
I have eaten here before and their Italian sausage is not too bad. However, the servers are downright rude. The have a dish that is a hot dog with French fries on top. I have never been a big fan of fries inside a sandwich it seems to make the sandwich dry. I asked if I could get the fries on the side. The server said "Nope, only on top". How hard would it be to put them on the side? Same sandwich. Went down the street 1/2 mile and got Portillo's exactly as I wanted. It's a shame because my gear head buddies talk highly of Strat.
(2)Cyn P.
I have stopped at Strat's a lot over the years and have never been disappointed, but then again I jusually, I get the same things time and time again. The Polish - ummmmm, the beef sandwich .... better than portillos, their burgers OMG the absolute best ever. Nice people, good prices. Update -- I have branched out and have had their chicken pita a few times - OMG sooooo freakin' good! I love Strat's!
(4)Bev D.
Great food in a fun atmosphere. I like to go there on Sundays while my daughter is in dance class and watch a football game. Love the grilled chicken pita. Going to try the grilled salmon sandwich next which I hear is delicious. Very friendly staff.
(5)Ajay K.
The peporoni pizza was good cheesy big slices like Billy's Pizza and much softer dough too, The polish sausage charcoaled and cheese dog tasted horrible and my stomach have massive diarrhea and minor ache for the whole night compared to the jewel Osco wings.. Also their fountain drinks taste stale or old when I got their sprite. How you mess up soda????? I also had their icecream float. Tasted okay but too pricy and I realize how easy it is to make my own float by buying icecream and doctor pepper from any grocery store instead wasting on a large cup from there. total cost 18.00 dollars. Not ever going there again. Hope this place close down and something else pops up there. This is just what I will do. if you want to try out there. my suggestion order something small when trying anything new.
(1)Lily T.
We went here for lunch on a weekday. The decor inside was a retro 50's feel and well done. The owner, Strat (?), was very enthusiastic and quick with recommendations. I usually don't care for that, but all his recommendations turned out to be good. I had a grilled chicken pita. The chicken was very tender and flavorful, better than any other fast food restaurant. My boyfriend had the ribeye steak sandwich. He thought it was one of the best ribeye sandwiches he has had. The fries seemed fresh cut with a little skin and just the right amount of seasoning (like the fries from Al's beef). They were also handing out free soft serve at the end of the meal. Overall, excellent customer service and excellent food. We will be back.
(5)Michael S.
Just going down North Ave. starving one day and said I was going to stop at the next place I saw. I ordered a double cheese burger and a fry. WOW! It was better than I would ever hope for. The burger was huge and the fresh cut fries were scrumptious. I couldn't believe how many fries they gave me. They were at the bottom of the bag and I just kept digging for them. The burger was so big I had it for lunch the next day also and it was still delicious. Can't wait to go back and try the ham and cheese with American and mozzarella cheese on it.
(5)Ken H.
Strat's is a surprising place. In a very good way! To anyone driving by it seems like your "run of the mill" burger joint. While the burgers are excellent, this place serves amazing food that is homemade and is very proudly showcased by its energetic and gregarious owner. Our first visit was in 2010. We thought we had stopped at a "run of the mill" burger joint. We walked in and I said "I would like a Chicago hot dog". The owner said, "no you don't". I said, "sorry"? he said, "you don't want a hot dog, today we have delicious marinated chicken breast on homemade bread". I agreed to change my order and we have been a fan every since. Each time we visit I ask him (the owner) to order for me and I have never been disappointed. Our two kids love Strat's for all the nostalgic decor and the train running around the perimeter. And, they love the burgers. Great place, great food and great personality.
(4)Cynthia M.
Was craving a hot dog combo when I passed this place on my way home. Tons of stuff to look at on the walls on while you order & I liked the "diner" feel/theme of it, but that's all I really cared for. The hot dog was decent, I had a random clean fry (like portillo's serves) in my basket that didn't match the rest of the straight, greasy fries, which was really weird. Do they serve two types of fries? If not, that's just gross because who knows where this ONE random fry came from. Oh & my coke was flat.
(2)Slim D.
We were in at a magic store in Franklin Park and drove another 7 miles to Strat's just for dinner. This is my 5th time there. Absolutely THE BEST BURGERS I HAVE EVER HAD!! Double cheeseburger. We met Strat, the owner and he is such a nice guy! He gave us a sample of their own fresh made potatoe salad and we ended up buying 2 pounds to take home. That's good business! Their chocalate cake is AWESOME! We each had a piece of chocolate cake. Highly recommend! Good friendly service!! We'll keep going back againa nd again.
(5)Jordan U.
Lived up to the hype once again....this time for an Italian Sausage and fries. The sausage was served up on a a toasty Italian roll and had a little bit of a kick to it with some sweet grilled onions. Great job. Fries came out of the kitchen half cooked and soggy but I asked to have them put back in the fryer and they gave me a new one no questions asked. This has happened a couple of times to me so they need to watch it on their fries...they are always fresh just make sure they are cooked all the way through. Fries are super fresh though as you can see them slicing up the potatoes behind the counter. All in all the "go to" place for us for a quick lunch. P.S. My son had his usual...hot dog. Hard to mess that one up. He still loves the train!
(5)Abe Z.
One of the Best mom and pop Fast Food Restaurants in town! Love their Strawberry Shakes and Nice 60's theme in their seating area. Great Chicken Sandwich and have to try their duke dog! Hand Cut French Fries as well.
(5)Julian M.
First of all, when there's a car show here, it ramps up the experience to a 4.5 star experience. ::::They really need to repave the parking lot though. Sometimes the shows actually fill up the lot and spill over into the parking lot across North Avenue... which can make for a frustrating way to park your car. Every time I go I try to order something different so here's my lowdown: Burgers are good, a bit greasy, but the addition of grilled onions on them gives them that unique touch. Beef and Italian sausage are pretty good, you should ask for mustard and sweet peppers on the sausage! Hot dogs are standard Vienna Chicago dogs (kinda hard to mess up). I recommend staying away from their cheesy fries unless you eat them right away. The cheese makes the already soggy fries soggier and kinda goopy. They serve beer! Neat. Sometimes they have specials. Last year they had a Sheboygan Bratwurst for $1.50. It was too sweet for my tastes, it was like a breakfast sausage on a roll. But at least they make an effort to use ingredients that are in season. So throw a fresh coat of wax on your ride and check them out.
(3)Patience E.
Their manager AMY is extremely rude.
(1)Greg J.
This is the best kept secret in dupage County. Tonight we were in the area, and I decided to stop in for a burger and pastrami sandwhich. Both were phenomenal. The Pastrami was tender with lots of flavor. The sandwhich was much better then Manny's or Jason's. The burger was also outstanding which could have competed in a burger fest that was held in Chicago. We regret not getting a double burger because they load every ingredient on the bun which takes some flavor away from the burger. Jean and Judes did nothing for me, so I'm going to go back and try the Duke Dog.
(5)michael s.
In a neighborhood filled with Portillo's hot dogs eateries it's easy to over-look yet ANOTHER burger joint. I really only stopped in here because traffic on Kingery was horrible and I needed a beef sammich like a... um... only a man who can crave a juicy, dripping, beef sammich. Anyhow. This place is amazing. Utterly amazing. Strat makes their roast beef from scratch, a homemade BBQ sauce with such subtlety it really could be served at any high-end joint, and a steak sammich that'll blow yer mind. In a world filled with repetition, frozen fast foods, and big box processing, Strats stands head and shoulders. You can actually taste the love in everything they make. That's right, love. It makes Portillos look like a grade school romance. Strat's the girl you take home to mom.
(5)Michelle P.
Wow, this place is amazing!!! The cheeseburger is great, the ham and cheese is amazing, the steak sandwich is beyond good, and the italian sausage is the best around!! I had been looking for a place like this to eat at for the past 2 months (how long I've lived in IL) and I will continue to go back!!!! The owner also treats you like family when you go in! You must try the milkshakes and the ice cream! No low fat stuff here!!!!!
(5)Cub Fan G.
Great food and great service. The owner was friendly and definitely proud of his food, with good reason. This place is worth coming back to.
(5)David S.
We've been here a couple times but always seemed a bit let down. The food was decent enough but seemed overpriced for what we got. We've tried the dogs and the burgers but neither one really stood out. All the 50s nostalgia was very interesting and if you go up during the summers there will typically be some sort of car or motorcycle gathering.
(3)Renita M.
We stumbled upon Strat's tonight while looking for Safari Land. We were looking for a quick dinner, so we decided to stop. This place is great! It's like Portillo's, but much better! Slightly smaller menu. I had a hot dog with everything, no relish, and a cup of chili. There, everything includes a cucumber slice, which was a first for me. Great dog! More of a "red hot" style, Vienna Beef, tasty tasty. Good pickle. The pickles are key. The chili was miiiighty tasty, good and beany with lots of cheese on top on request. Flavorful, though not spicy. My husband had a plain jumbo dog (he likes ketchup, shhh!) and cheese fries. He loved his dog and the cheese was copious on the fries. Mucho cheesey. Since this is actually a pretty quick drive from us, I'm sure we'll be back soon. And next time I want to try a grilled cheese and a milkshake. The menu all looked pretty tasty, and the owner even came by and made a few suggestions while we were trying to decide. He said the Reuben was really tasty; I'm sure it is, but I just don't like sauerkraut. Yay for discovering new places!
(4)Devan M.
Food was alright. I got a hotdog and my friend got a burger and we both got fries. They were soaking with grease and really floppy. I watched the girl touch fries with her hands right after she was handling cash. Big no no in my book. The restaurant itself is cool they have old fashioned coke machines and old pictures and license plates on the wall. Nothing special as far as food goes. I'd rather have portillos right down the street.
(2)Vodka Sauce C.
Duke dog . ITS AMAZING ! MOVE OVER JEAN AND JUDES ! THE DUKE DOG OF DUPAGE CO.
(5)Gerardo D.
Love the Duke Dog -- it's the best. The price is cheap too. The guy said I was going to get addicted, and he was right!
(5)Damian P.
I Love the oldies atmosphere :) & Ive been eating theyre burgers for like 17 years. In Franklin Park we used to hang @ the car shows they had back in the day when I was a kid. Its ok for a fast food place I just wish the franklin park location was still around... I guess Sonic must have bought them out.
(3)Michelle M.
So hubby and I are driving west on North Avenue looking for Hobo - discount kitchen/bathroom/etc stuff. He wants Burger King. I said ok but HAVE to get Onion Rings first at a new place. I spot this drive-thru place Strat's and looks good. Nice that they have drive-thru and BK on the same side of the street. So at Strat's - nice menu but I plan to get a burger at BK. So I order onion rings. When I get up to the window, woman says that she dropped a couple so it will be a couple more minutes. Then I get them, she says she threw in a cup of BBQ sauce to try with them. I try them together. The onion rings are terrific and the BBQ sauce? Sweet and zesty at the same time and really great! So I am not really in that area much but if I am back there, I am definitely stopping there at Strat's! (And I searched here and found a listing on Mannheim, but definitely NOT this one. This one was definitely ON North Avenue. South Side of the street - East of Route 83.)
(5)Christopher B.
good food--great beefs. chicken noodle soup also pretty good. great place to go without the crowd found at portillos.
(4)Terri E.
I happened to be in the area again so I went back a second time. This time I had the Reuben. It was great! Strat was there this time. He asked if I ever had the potato salad. When I told him that I had not tried it yet, he gave me a sample. OMG!! This is the BEST potato salad I have ever tasted! I bought 2lbs to go to take home. This went along with the chocolate cake, pistachio cake, and brownies I was already planning to take home.
(5)Dawid S.
Good place! So I'm going to break this down. I had the Italian beef with onion rings and my girlfriend got the cheeseburger with fries. We also got the killer chocolate cake to split. The Italian beef is really good! It isn't the best I've had but it's up there in the top 5. It was made perfectly. According to my girlfriend, the cheeseburger was really good, one of the best she's had. We both shared the onion rings and fries. Fries and onion rings are probably one of the best as well. The killer chocolate cake: amazing. Reminds me of the portillos chocolate cake. I loved the atmosphere and friendly staff. The place was clean including the bathroom. The one thing I didn't like: The onion rings. You get 5 and the rest of the basket is fries. I guess it was good for being here the first time, you get to try both. But what if I don't like fries and just wanted a basket of onion rings? I don't know why they only put in 5 onion rings and the rest of the basket with fries. Overall, I would have given this place a 5 but because of the way they did the onion rings I have to give it a 4. It's not because it wasn't good, it's just that what if. What if I don't like fries and can't have them?
(4)Eac E.
As I'm writing this review, I'm thinking about ordering my 3rd burger...oh what the heck, I'm ordering it! I ordered mine with everything and chopped onions instead. Mmmm. Don't 4get the DOG n SUDS Root Beer, a must!
(5)Martin K.
Best burger place I have ever been, right size, texture , flavor.. Burgers are very juice and not fatty..excellent atmosphere.. Try a homemade banana shake as well.. A MUST have..
(5)Tiffany P.
Just found out that strats serves pizza and for delivery!!!!!!! Even better, the pizza is amazing!! And it's the best price around!! We are definitely making this our go to place for pizza now. The best sausage, cheese, spices, sauce, crust etc! Please continue to get the word out so u can continue to serve it. My dad and I went there for lunch and heard a man order pizza and I said what? So we inquired and they said yes. We then sat down and a gentleman came out (he was wearing glasses and a hat, didn't get his name) and gave us a flyer. How nice he was!!! Well that made us order pizza tonight. We ordered through TIM and he made and delivered the pizza. TIM is an amazing worker, he made our burgers at lunch too! :) TIM needs to always make the pizza Cuz it's great!!!!
(5)Louis P.
Great food! Went with the family and ate lunch. We had the cheeseburgers and were delicious! Also the fries were very good. Shakes were very good also. Ambiance inside is also fun. Good food with great service! Check this place out you'll love it!!
(5)Dinah T.
This was the first time I visited. It's hard to get to this place if you're driving Westbound on North Ave. You'll have to make a Uturn at the next light. When we got there, we meet the owner, he was a nice man thanking us for stopping by. The service was nice and the place was a bit busy looking for me with nostalgistic items everywhere. The place is pretty small, maybe it can fit about 20 people? I came here for the food experience but I wasn't too impressed, boo. Maybe I'm such a Portillo's Italian Beef fan I shouldn't have compared it. Yes the italian beef was meh. My hubby got the Corned Beef sandwich and he said it was too salty tasting for him. He was comparing the sandwich to his Jason Deli in Oak Brook Terrace... Maybe I should read the other yelpers of what they got and try that out next time if there's a next time.
(2)James B.
EAT EAT EAAATTTT!!!!! Stop Wasting your Time Reading this! ITS SIMPLE TO GET TO!!!!!!!!!!!!! ------------Absolutely, The Best Food Idea You Have In This MOMent! The Char-Grill Flavor Gladly Devours your tastes buds! A Char Grilled Ten napkin Juicy Cheese Burger With everything on it... (Ya Ya Get the char grilled onions on it you fool....) A cheese burger that even down to its last 1 inch bite size, still is dressed with its toppings. Strats, a neon sign at the end of a tunnel, fifties style drive in, that isn't even supposed to work any more, in this day and age, of non-sense drive thrus. this taunting, alluring real food made fast still flirts and gets you to sleep with its sexxxy menu of Chicago food. Fresh made daily like any five star Chicago restaurant would offer you, and yes we quite forget mom and pops food venues do create from scratch recipes. it is Delicious! It is Tasty and HOT and Fresh... I eat every where i spend about 1,500 smackers a month,on restaurants. a alot more then they average person! EAT TIL YOU ARE STUFFED!!!! ------These nay sayers... like Tom H over here...or Ruby. they ruin yelp!!!! all these other soul warped individuals that something has most likely died in them, have without a doubt no clue what there talking about with food because there palettes are shit any way, they are over weight, uneducated, underpaid, Most likely religious and truly have a genuine bitterness in there puny hearts for ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS FOOD!!!!!!
(5)Danielle K.
Yum! Good food fun decor and awesome owner! Loved it. Growing up my husband used to always go to car meets there and this is the first time we actually ate there. A fun Sunday.
(5)Carmella P.
STRAT! My friend, what the heck is going on with your place? Few weeks ago, no corned beef. Few days later, still no corned beef AND no pastrami. Few days after that, no power. Few days ago, no brats. You keep saying "sold out", yet, I don't see throngs of customers in line ahead of me, ever...... The really sad part is, while your food is just as good as ever, I don't get to eat it any more. Is this any way to run a business?
(2)Marylou T.
Absolutely love this place!!! They have fresh meats, fresh fries, and a very friendly staff! Their burgers are to die for and the steak sandwich is very flavorful! I would recommend this joint to everyone!!
(5)Frank L.
I have eaten here before and their Italian sausage is not too bad. However, the servers are downright rude. The have a dish that is a hot dog with French fries on top. I have never been a big fan of fries inside a sandwich it seems to make the sandwich dry. I asked if I could get the fries on the side. The server said "Nope, only on top". How hard would it be to put them on the side? Same sandwich. Went down the street 1/2 mile and got Portillo's exactly as I wanted. It's a shame because my gear head buddies talk highly of Strat.
(2)Cyn P.
I have stopped at Strat's a lot over the years and have never been disappointed, but then again I jusually, I get the same things time and time again. The Polish - ummmmm, the beef sandwich .... better than portillos, their burgers OMG the absolute best ever. Nice people, good prices. Update -- I have branched out and have had their chicken pita a few times - OMG sooooo freakin' good! I love Strat's!
(4)Bev D.
Great food in a fun atmosphere. I like to go there on Sundays while my daughter is in dance class and watch a football game. Love the grilled chicken pita. Going to try the grilled salmon sandwich next which I hear is delicious. Very friendly staff.
(5)Dan B.
In having visited Strat's on a few prior occasions and finding it to be okay, I decided to come back to Strat's and try a menu item here I haven't in previous visits.That's right, today was the day I sample the Strat's Hot Dog. Before getting into my review of the food I should first give a bit of an introduction to Strat's itself. Strat's is a drive thru fast food joint with a distinct 1950s theme. It has lots of Neon lights, is immediately distinguishable when driving down North Avenue and has some unusual decorations on the inside. From 1950s coke bottles, to 1990s iMacs and a very creepy statue. In visiting Strat's on this occasion I decided to try the hot dog. The hot dog came on a soft non-poppy seed bun. The tomato included was a little too watery, the pickle was a nice thickness but a tad on the sour side. There was also one big wedge of cucumber on one side of the hot dog but not on the other so there was no attempt to put cucumber flavor in every bite. I didn't detect any celery salt on the hot dog either. On the plus side the onions, relish and mustard were applied well and evenly throughout the dog. The pepper wasn't too hot and was a nice compliment. Finally the dog itself was the natural casing skinned variety of Vienna Beef hot dogs. These generally hold their flavor a bit better than the skinless type which is more common. Overall though this was a fairly average Chicago style hot dog. The lack of celery salt, sour pickle, strange application of cucumber made this hot dog a bit of a head scratcher. Not bad but not far enough above average to earn four stars.
(3)Pieter W.
So I stopped by Strat's tonight because I wanted to grab a hot dog, and I really liked the decor of this place, such a fun atmosphere... there were even people showing off their classic cars and weekend projects in the lot... really wanted to like this place.... Unfortunately the service left a lot to be desired. Workers noticed me when I walked into the place but nobody offered me service until 10 minutes later. Hey, I understand, you're busy, but a little "hey Sir, how are you doing? We'll be right with you!" goes a long way. The young lady that finally took my order looked at me with so much scorn and contempt that I just felt bad being there. I'm terribly sorry I interrupted your smartphone socializing time. Congrats, Strat's, you had everything going for you then you ruined it for me! On another note, the hog dogs I purchased were very tasty, but really, how bad can one really screw up a Vienna Beef dog? .
(2)Kim M.
The sign reads, "Worlds Best Pastrami Sandwich". Strike 1: They don't have swiss cheese. Strike 2: They don't have french rolls. Strike 3: They made my sandwich hot by nuking it too much, so it was rubbery. Sign should say, "Worlds Worst Pastrami Sandwich". Don't waste your money.
(1)Morris N.
It's always nice to see a family owned hot dog/hamburger type joint. They have a pretty decent menu selection that includes rib eye steak sandwiches, beef sandwich, shrimp dinner, etc. I had a cheeseburger which was fresh, not frozen. Fries were also from fresh cut potatoes. Cheeseburger, fries, and a drink for about ten bucks wasn't bad. Plenty of seating in the dining area which had all kinds of 60-70's knick knacks. They also have a drive thru.
(4)MrChubs Z.
Great family-owned business serving authentic Chicago eats. I recently sold a car and the 2 brothers who flew in from Maryland to pick it up. They were only in town for a couple hours and asked me about the Chicago food experience. Deep dish pizza was out of the question so I suggested hot dogs. We stopped into Strat's on the way home and Strat layed it on thick giving these out-of-towners the full Chicago experience. The hot dogs, Italian beefs (juicy of course), and fresh cut REAL fries were totally killer. This is a great place to take your kids because there's lots of stuff to look at here with the old memorabilia, etc...
(5)M O.
Perfect bacon burger and fries were Not too dry nor too greasy. The retro atmosphere seems to have a surprise in every nook, cranny, and corner. The eye catching old signs, advertising, license plates, and random odds and ends give an opportunity for family members to talk about the olden days and to pass on family experiences. Super! And the Malts are amazing ...
(5)J J.
I ordered the ruben as one person recommend with the fries. The ruben had a lot of liquid dripping from it. It tasted like it was sitting in water for a long time. No flavor and diluted fat dripping off. Also, it had way too much salt. The fries were not cooked right. A lot of them stuck together making the inside of the chunk soft and greasy and the outside crisp. I did not like the fries. There was not much taste in the fries. Because they have no system I bet the fries are sometimes right and sometimes like I got. The potato salad side was ok. I like the addition of chopped eggs. I'll go back if I'm in the area because it is ok, and I hope the hamburgers are good. The person I was with lived the Italian beef. Maybe I'll try that next time.
(2)Laura S.
Best cheeseburger hands down. You can't beat the prices either. The grilled onions, which come standard on the burger, are to die for. Hubby says their beefs, Italians, and Reuben's are good to, but I can't tear myself away from the burgers.
(5)NaderandEva M.
Best. Food. Ever. Stop in everytime we are in chicago. The 2 way grilled cheese is unmatched. Chocolate malt is amazing. A must go.
(5)A D.
No one in line at the drive thru at 6:30 on a Thursday night so I wasn't sure what to expect. A wonderful surprise while we were waiting for our food at yhe drive-thru window was a manager gave me & my kids samples of the vanilla soft serve. Very nice touch! And it was yummy! Son had a cheeseburger, daughter had chicken strips. The chicken came with fries, the burger did not. The fries rocked! Hand cut fries, nice & crispy, hot, & salty! The cheeseburger smelled like it was char - broiled which was nice, but was heavy on a salty seasoning. The chicken strips were quite thin. My daughter said they tasted "odd." I thought they tasted like McDonald's chicken nuggets, but what do I know, since I dislike them anyway? Would return for 2nd chance. Decor outside makes in look like a cool, 50s diner, but with no customer cars in it's lot.
(3)C C.
Cranky woman took my order the first time I tried this place. Gave it another try, still cranky. It's a shame. Food was good but I won't go back.
(2)Ajay K.
The peporoni pizza was good cheesy big slices like Billy's Pizza and much softer dough too, The polish sausage charcoaled and cheese dog tasted horrible and my stomach have massive diarrhea and minor ache for the whole night compared to the jewel Osco wings.. Also their fountain drinks taste stale or old when I got their sprite. How you mess up soda????? I also had their icecream float. Tasted okay but too pricy and I realize how easy it is to make my own float by buying icecream and doctor pepper from any grocery store instead wasting on a large cup from there. total cost 18.00 dollars. Not ever going there again. Hope this place close down and something else pops up there. This is just what I will do. if you want to try out there. my suggestion order something small when trying anything new.
(1)Lily T.
We went here for lunch on a weekday. The decor inside was a retro 50's feel and well done. The owner, Strat (?), was very enthusiastic and quick with recommendations. I usually don't care for that, but all his recommendations turned out to be good. I had a grilled chicken pita. The chicken was very tender and flavorful, better than any other fast food restaurant. My boyfriend had the ribeye steak sandwich. He thought it was one of the best ribeye sandwiches he has had. The fries seemed fresh cut with a little skin and just the right amount of seasoning (like the fries from Al's beef). They were also handing out free soft serve at the end of the meal. Overall, excellent customer service and excellent food. We will be back.
(5)Michael S.
Just going down North Ave. starving one day and said I was going to stop at the next place I saw. I ordered a double cheese burger and a fry. WOW! It was better than I would ever hope for. The burger was huge and the fresh cut fries were scrumptious. I couldn't believe how many fries they gave me. They were at the bottom of the bag and I just kept digging for them. The burger was so big I had it for lunch the next day also and it was still delicious. Can't wait to go back and try the ham and cheese with American and mozzarella cheese on it.
(5)Ken H.
Strat's is a surprising place. In a very good way! To anyone driving by it seems like your "run of the mill" burger joint. While the burgers are excellent, this place serves amazing food that is homemade and is very proudly showcased by its energetic and gregarious owner. Our first visit was in 2010. We thought we had stopped at a "run of the mill" burger joint. We walked in and I said "I would like a Chicago hot dog". The owner said, "no you don't". I said, "sorry"? he said, "you don't want a hot dog, today we have delicious marinated chicken breast on homemade bread". I agreed to change my order and we have been a fan every since. Each time we visit I ask him (the owner) to order for me and I have never been disappointed. Our two kids love Strat's for all the nostalgic decor and the train running around the perimeter. And, they love the burgers. Great place, great food and great personality.
(4)Cynthia M.
Was craving a hot dog combo when I passed this place on my way home. Tons of stuff to look at on the walls on while you order & I liked the "diner" feel/theme of it, but that's all I really cared for. The hot dog was decent, I had a random clean fry (like portillo's serves) in my basket that didn't match the rest of the straight, greasy fries, which was really weird. Do they serve two types of fries? If not, that's just gross because who knows where this ONE random fry came from. Oh & my coke was flat.
(2)Slim D.
We were in at a magic store in Franklin Park and drove another 7 miles to Strat's just for dinner. This is my 5th time there. Absolutely THE BEST BURGERS I HAVE EVER HAD!! Double cheeseburger. We met Strat, the owner and he is such a nice guy! He gave us a sample of their own fresh made potatoe salad and we ended up buying 2 pounds to take home. That's good business! Their chocalate cake is AWESOME! We each had a piece of chocolate cake. Highly recommend! Good friendly service!! We'll keep going back againa nd again.
(5)Jordan U.
Lived up to the hype once again....this time for an Italian Sausage and fries. The sausage was served up on a a toasty Italian roll and had a little bit of a kick to it with some sweet grilled onions. Great job. Fries came out of the kitchen half cooked and soggy but I asked to have them put back in the fryer and they gave me a new one no questions asked. This has happened a couple of times to me so they need to watch it on their fries...they are always fresh just make sure they are cooked all the way through. Fries are super fresh though as you can see them slicing up the potatoes behind the counter. All in all the "go to" place for us for a quick lunch. P.S. My son had his usual...hot dog. Hard to mess that one up. He still loves the train!
(5)Abe Z.
One of the Best mom and pop Fast Food Restaurants in town! Love their Strawberry Shakes and Nice 60's theme in their seating area. Great Chicken Sandwich and have to try their duke dog! Hand Cut French Fries as well.
(5)Renita M.
We stumbled upon Strat's tonight while looking for Safari Land. We were looking for a quick dinner, so we decided to stop. This place is great! It's like Portillo's, but much better! Slightly smaller menu. I had a hot dog with everything, no relish, and a cup of chili. There, everything includes a cucumber slice, which was a first for me. Great dog! More of a "red hot" style, Vienna Beef, tasty tasty. Good pickle. The pickles are key. The chili was miiiighty tasty, good and beany with lots of cheese on top on request. Flavorful, though not spicy. My husband had a plain jumbo dog (he likes ketchup, shhh!) and cheese fries. He loved his dog and the cheese was copious on the fries. Mucho cheesey. Since this is actually a pretty quick drive from us, I'm sure we'll be back soon. And next time I want to try a grilled cheese and a milkshake. The menu all looked pretty tasty, and the owner even came by and made a few suggestions while we were trying to decide. He said the Reuben was really tasty; I'm sure it is, but I just don't like sauerkraut. Yay for discovering new places!
(4)Devan M.
Food was alright. I got a hotdog and my friend got a burger and we both got fries. They were soaking with grease and really floppy. I watched the girl touch fries with her hands right after she was handling cash. Big no no in my book. The restaurant itself is cool they have old fashioned coke machines and old pictures and license plates on the wall. Nothing special as far as food goes. I'd rather have portillos right down the street.
(2)Vodka Sauce C.
Duke dog . ITS AMAZING ! MOVE OVER JEAN AND JUDES ! THE DUKE DOG OF DUPAGE CO.
(5)matthew c.
Strats? I love this place! Do yourself a favor and stop by. In an area saturated by this type of fare, Strats rises considerably higher than the competition by using the highest quality ingredients, delivering consistantly delicious meals and maintaining attitudes genuinely excited to accomodate guests. Daily specials, resonable prices nestled in a fun "vintage 50s" environment.
(5)janice m.
Love going here on a weekend afternoon with the kids for lunch because they love the train. The food is great, the fries are yummy and the people who work here are always so nice. The shakes here taste like the old fashioned ones you would get when you went to a drug store soda fountain! Gotta say everything we have ever had has been tasty, fresh and hot. What more could we ask for!!!!
(4)Steven M.
I didn't go to Portillo's because I wanted to Yelp something new. Fuck that next time. This place sucks. I parked in back and walked around to the side and the front of the building and all the doors were locked? I walked to the opposite side and finally got in. This must have been a sign. I looked over the menu which has a lot of stuff on it. And I saw some foot long italian sausages on the grill. Great, I got that with large fries and a pop. That thing must have been on the grill for a week. It was as dry as a bone and had absolutely no taste. The fries come in a cardboard tray and it was about 1/2 full. I thought that I got the large? I'm done with this place too. Oh, yah. They have a choo choo spinning around the ceiling of this place for the kids. And hopefully you won't notice how bad the food is.
(2)Jesse P.
Well, as a walk in off the streets Strat's looks like the perfect place for a Friday afternoon work lunch. An old drive-thru screaming the 1950's, full of cool memorabilia from the old days and boasting collectible car shows in the summer. I am sure this place was rock 'n' roll years ago...but they must of changed owners at some point or it just went to hell really fast. I asked the dude at the register what was good and got a look instead of an answer. How about the pastrami or corned beef? Since it was on the specials....uhh yeah the reuben is good he said, real convincing. I tried it anyways. Bad mistake, the greasiest sandwich I have ever eaten and you could tell the corned beef wasn't the freshest. The fry's were good since they were made from fresh potatoes but so damn greasy, soaked in oil. My brother had the Italian beef which was a grease bomb too! More like Strat's grease factory than drive-thru. Like I said, I'm sure this place was awesome years ago (or maybe the cook and cashier were subbing out someone who actually knows how to run a hot dog joint) But today, your much better off going to Portillo's down the street...which we mistakenly opted out of last minute.
(1)Dred H.
I can't tell you how many times I've eaten at Strats. Seriously, I can't. Once, definitely, maybe twice. But I've BEEN there a lot. There's a motorcycle cruise night there once a week all summer long. Oh, and they do have really good onion rings. And big cans of energy drinks as well. Which is a plus.
(3)jenn r.
Strat's is pretty good for a greasy burger & fries when you don't wanna do the big ol McD's place. Go for the shakes!!!
(3)Gerardo D.
Love the Duke Dog -- it's the best. The price is cheap too. The guy said I was going to get addicted, and he was right!
(5)Damian P.
I Love the oldies atmosphere :) & Ive been eating theyre burgers for like 17 years. In Franklin Park we used to hang @ the car shows they had back in the day when I was a kid. Its ok for a fast food place I just wish the franklin park location was still around... I guess Sonic must have bought them out.
(3)Christopher B.
good food--great beefs. chicken noodle soup also pretty good. great place to go without the crowd found at portillos.
(4)Michelle M.
So hubby and I are driving west on North Avenue looking for Hobo - discount kitchen/bathroom/etc stuff. He wants Burger King. I said ok but HAVE to get Onion Rings first at a new place. I spot this drive-thru place Strat's and looks good. Nice that they have drive-thru and BK on the same side of the street. So at Strat's - nice menu but I plan to get a burger at BK. So I order onion rings. When I get up to the window, woman says that she dropped a couple so it will be a couple more minutes. Then I get them, she says she threw in a cup of BBQ sauce to try with them. I try them together. The onion rings are terrific and the BBQ sauce? Sweet and zesty at the same time and really great! So I am not really in that area much but if I am back there, I am definitely stopping there at Strat's! (And I searched here and found a listing on Mannheim, but definitely NOT this one. This one was definitely ON North Avenue. South Side of the street - East of Route 83.)
(5)jenn r.
Strat's is pretty good for a greasy burger & fries when you don't wanna do the big ol McD's place. Go for the shakes!!!
(3)L C B.
It's just a quick hot dog but I've had better. Really, the bun was almost a bit stale, cracking, in Chicago! Properly steamed and fresh doesn't crack. The dog was snappy a good thing but I ordered a hot dog w everything and fries....got served a Duke Dog, aka fries on the dog. So after I peeled them off and pinched the bun back together I took my photo....I'll travel farther for my hot dogs!
(3)Greg Z.
Stopped by with the family. Our 3 and 6 year old loved the decor. If your family loves playing ispy, this is the place! Also a train running around the ceiling as outdoor seating for when the weather is nice. Food wise, the burgers are not frozen but I'll have to admit, the 1/3 patty felt more like a 1/4lb. Taste was great. Fries where a little too soggy for my taste. Kid's wanted Cheese pizza slices but they were out. Ended up getting a hot dog for the girl and a $4.00+ cheeseburger for the boy (no kids sizes on the burgers) Super nice treat in the end for the family as they delivered a tasting of soft serve ice-cream to the table for the four of us.
(4)Jacqueline B.
I'm just going to preface this by saying maybe eat here on a cheat day... With that being said, the cheeseburger I had was absolutely delicious. Was it greasy? Sure. Did I want another? You bet. My experience at Strat's was simply a drive-thru run so keep that in mind. The restaurant itself is flashy and resembles and old school drive in diner which is fun. The menu was a lot more basic than I was expecting, but I didn't mind the simplicity. My husband and I originally came here because they were listed as a participant in Yelp's Burger Binge week. Sadly, the $5 check-in offer was not posted like we thought, but we had our minds set on those burgers anyway so on we went. The drive through took longer than I'm used to, but I guess they don't claim to be fast food. Their burger is well worth the way though friends, so hang in there. We both ordered cheeseburgers and a large fry order to split. It wasn't until I got to the window that I saw a sticker that said house made crinkle cut fries available on request. Bummer! Totally would have ordered those. Next time. The burger itself was juicy and amazing. The bun was great and toppings were on point. It should be noted that the burgers automatically come with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and grilled onions. The combo was great for me (my husband though is not a fan of tomatoes). I highly suggest keeping those grilled onions on there! Yum. The fries were not my fave unfortunately. They were a little too flimsy and soggy for my liking. While the taste itself was alright, I couldn't get past the texture. All in all, if you're craving a good burger (and don't mind a little grease), stop by Strat's Diner!
(4)Tom H.
I've been going to Strats for years now. I've always been a fan. I usually grab a burger or a hot dog both of which are super solid. My parents actually really enjoy the rubens there as well. To me the best thing they have is the cheesy fries. The fries alone are very good, prefect amount of crispness and still nice and soft inside. Then when you add cheese on top, it makes for awesomeness. I would say that if you're driving by you should stop on it, very good place with a nice retro throwback theme.
(4)Erin K.
Love this place!! The owner is very personable too! They use quality products and have a large selection of food for all. Grilled chicken pita is awesome! They also have a home made pistachio bunt cake that is REDICK!!
(5)Greg J.
This is the best kept secret in dupage County. Tonight we were in the area, and I decided to stop in for a burger and pastrami sandwhich. Both were phenomenal. The Pastrami was tender with lots of flavor. The sandwhich was much better then Manny's or Jason's. The burger was also outstanding which could have competed in a burger fest that was held in Chicago. We regret not getting a double burger because they load every ingredient on the bun which takes some flavor away from the burger. Jean and Judes did nothing for me, so I'm going to go back and try the Duke Dog.
(5)michael s.
In a neighborhood filled with Portillo's hot dogs eateries it's easy to over-look yet ANOTHER burger joint. I really only stopped in here because traffic on Kingery was horrible and I needed a beef sammich like a... um... only a man who can crave a juicy, dripping, beef sammich. Anyhow. This place is amazing. Utterly amazing. Strat makes their roast beef from scratch, a homemade BBQ sauce with such subtlety it really could be served at any high-end joint, and a steak sammich that'll blow yer mind. In a world filled with repetition, frozen fast foods, and big box processing, Strats stands head and shoulders. You can actually taste the love in everything they make. That's right, love. It makes Portillos look like a grade school romance. Strat's the girl you take home to mom.
(5)Michelle P.
Wow, this place is amazing!!! The cheeseburger is great, the ham and cheese is amazing, the steak sandwich is beyond good, and the italian sausage is the best around!! I had been looking for a place like this to eat at for the past 2 months (how long I've lived in IL) and I will continue to go back!!!! The owner also treats you like family when you go in! You must try the milkshakes and the ice cream! No low fat stuff here!!!!!
(5)Cub Fan G.
Great food and great service. The owner was friendly and definitely proud of his food, with good reason. This place is worth coming back to.
(5)David S.
We've been here a couple times but always seemed a bit let down. The food was decent enough but seemed overpriced for what we got. We've tried the dogs and the burgers but neither one really stood out. All the 50s nostalgia was very interesting and if you go up during the summers there will typically be some sort of car or motorcycle gathering.
(3)Miguel S.
Whether you will like Strat's as much as I do depends on what particular dishes you enjoy because some are very good and some only OK. I recommend their onion rings, steak sandwich, and chili. Their hot dog is good too, but only if you ask them to grill it (if you can wait a few minutes). For a drink, try a chocolate malted shake. Although Strat's menu is somewhat similar to Portillo's, the food at Strat's is better enough than Portillo's that it's somewhat insulting to Strat's to compare them.
(4)kelly c.
I go to this place a lot. It's never terribly crowded, and that's a shame. I think it's a case of familiarity -- people go to McDonald's time and time again because it's familiar, not because it's necessarily that good. If these Big Mac munchers would look outside of the box for a minute, they'd be in for a real treat. This is a fast food joint, but their menu is massive, and the offerings aren't 'fast food' by any means - Pure Beef Black Angus Burgers, USDA Choice Grade Ribeye Steaks, Fresh Squeezed Lemonade, Fresh (Real) Strawberry Shakes, Corned Beef and Pastrami, Southern Fried Chicken Dinner... I could go on. They have proper dinners if you'd like, but the endless fast food options are what entice me. Every Sunday is $1.25 hot dogs - Chicago-style of course. But they have daily specials that are always a great value. My favorite thing to get here is the Tuna Croissant Sandwich. A huge croissant, tuna salad, lettuce, tomato, and fresh shredded Kraft cheddar if you ask. The Grilled Chicken Pita is not on their menu board, but it's a great thing to order. The chicken is marinated in some sort of deliciousness and charcoal grilled. The pita comes with fresh onion, tomatoes, and tziki sauce. The pasta salad is less than $4 and I usually get two two meals out of it. Ask for their delicious grilled chicken on top! It comes with the dressing on the side, which I appreciate, because it saves better and I tend to use less dressing than most people. Heck, it's so good, I often don't even use the dressing. Grilled Cheese -- they have one ways with American or two ways with American and Mozz. Ask for garlic butter for extra deliciousness, or ask for it on rye with tomato. Tamales or bowls of chili make good alternatives to their large basket of crinkle-cut fries. They also have soup when it's cold outside. Oh, and if I skip the shake, I always get their iced tea with lemon. Large. For some reason, their iced tea is always really good. Think Portillos, but better with a huge selection.
(4)Julian M.
First of all, when there's a car show here, it ramps up the experience to a 4.5 star experience. ::::They really need to repave the parking lot though. Sometimes the shows actually fill up the lot and spill over into the parking lot across North Avenue... which can make for a frustrating way to park your car. Every time I go I try to order something different so here's my lowdown: Burgers are good, a bit greasy, but the addition of grilled onions on them gives them that unique touch. Beef and Italian sausage are pretty good, you should ask for mustard and sweet peppers on the sausage! Hot dogs are standard Vienna Chicago dogs (kinda hard to mess up). I recommend staying away from their cheesy fries unless you eat them right away. The cheese makes the already soggy fries soggier and kinda goopy. They serve beer! Neat. Sometimes they have specials. Last year they had a Sheboygan Bratwurst for $1.50. It was too sweet for my tastes, it was like a breakfast sausage on a roll. But at least they make an effort to use ingredients that are in season. So throw a fresh coat of wax on your ride and check them out.
(3)Patience E.
Their manager AMY is extremely rude.
(1)Greg Z.
Stopped by with the family. Our 3 and 6 year old loved the decor. If your family loves playing ispy, this is the place! Also a train running around the ceiling as outdoor seating for when the weather is nice. Food wise, the burgers are not frozen but I'll have to admit, the 1/3 patty felt more like a 1/4lb. Taste was great. Fries where a little too soggy for my taste. Kid's wanted Cheese pizza slices but they were out. Ended up getting a hot dog for the girl and a $4.00+ cheeseburger for the boy (no kids sizes on the burgers) Super nice treat in the end for the family as they delivered a tasting of soft serve ice-cream to the table for the four of us.
(4)L C B.
It's just a quick hot dog but I've had better. Really, the bun was almost a bit stale, cracking, in Chicago! Properly steamed and fresh doesn't crack. The dog was snappy a good thing but I ordered a hot dog w everything and fries....got served a Duke Dog, aka fries on the dog. So after I peeled them off and pinched the bun back together I took my photo....I'll travel farther for my hot dogs!
(3)Erin K.
Love this place!! The owner is very personable too! They use quality products and have a large selection of food for all. Grilled chicken pita is awesome! They also have a home made pistachio bunt cake that is REDICK!!
(5)Jacqueline B.
I'm just going to preface this by saying maybe eat here on a cheat day... With that being said, the cheeseburger I had was absolutely delicious. Was it greasy? Sure. Did I want another? You bet. My experience at Strat's was simply a drive-thru run so keep that in mind. The restaurant itself is flashy and resembles and old school drive in diner which is fun. The menu was a lot more basic than I was expecting, but I didn't mind the simplicity. My husband and I originally came here because they were listed as a participant in Yelp's Burger Binge week. Sadly, the $5 check-in offer was not posted like we thought, but we had our minds set on those burgers anyway so on we went. The drive through took longer than I'm used to, but I guess they don't claim to be fast food. Their burger is well worth the way though friends, so hang in there. We both ordered cheeseburgers and a large fry order to split. It wasn't until I got to the window that I saw a sticker that said house made crinkle cut fries available on request. Bummer! Totally would have ordered those. Next time. The burger itself was juicy and amazing. The bun was great and toppings were on point. It should be noted that the burgers automatically come with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and grilled onions. The combo was great for me (my husband though is not a fan of tomatoes). I highly suggest keeping those grilled onions on there! Yum. The fries were not my fave unfortunately. They were a little too flimsy and soggy for my liking. While the taste itself was alright, I couldn't get past the texture. All in all, if you're craving a good burger (and don't mind a little grease), stop by Strat's Diner!
(4)Angela P.
I went to Strat's for Yelp's Burger Binge Week, and I wasn't too upset that the $5 burger check-in deal wasn't working. Ruby O's review and photo already had me sold on the ham & cheese melt. This sandwich was amazing. What's better than a greasy, toasted sandwich with ham and lots of melty, gooey cheese? I think the cheese was a combination of mozzarella and American. I also ordered fries. The fries were limp, soggy, and there were a few in the bag that were still firm, like an uncooked potato. I still ate them, but I would not order fries at Strat's again. I was only behind one car in the drive-thru, and the wait was a lot longer than drive-thru service usually is. The wait at the drive-thru is comparable to waiting for food at Culver's - it's cooked to order, so be patient. I didn't go inside, but it looked like a cute 1950s diner from the outside. Sandwich, good. Fries, bad. If you're looking to mix it up and are tired of the other drive-thru options, and want some greasy grub, I'd give Strat's another shot.
(3)Tim H.
I was in the area and gave them a gander. I didn't enjoy it enough to return, but it wasn't dreadful. Single cheeseburgers are hand formed and fresh. Raw Onion, Tomato, Lettuce is how I judge a burger. I prefer Hamburger Heaven's burger. The Fresh cut fries were too soggy for my liking, but had anticipated taking them home. They'll crisp up nicely. Onion Rings seemed to be generic and the barbecue sauce, which is provided, was a nice touch vs ketchup.
(3)Diane K.
Nice classic car drive-thru. I saw all types and models. Fun to people watch too. Food was cool!
(4)Stella O.
We dined in. Fresh cut fries, a ruben, and cheesy double burger is what my family and I had the other day; they were freshly made and hot when we received them. The folks behind the counter were nice and said "thank you". Diner was clean and decor was very pleasing to the eye with the planes hanging from the ceiling and old gas pump around the corner. Ladies bathroom was clean. Great for all ages! We will return.
(5)Rehan A.
There Salmon Sandwich with potato salad with the special bbq sauce and steak is amazing. First of all strats special steak entre is the best steak i ever tried in my life. Amer and ray recommended from the pc store couple blocks away. Oh my God.......the steak is the juiciest most tastily drizzlingly sizzingly delicious and off the table hands down best steak in town.
(5)Erick H.
Good, fresh food, made to order. Yes, the onion rings are frozen, but they do have fresh-cut fries if you ask for them. Burgers are great, pastrami is great, and they have specials all the time.
(4)Lamont J.
The food here was great. Tasty burgers, seasoned fries at a moderate price! The ambiance of the restaurant was a cool fifties theme. I didn't take pics of it because I want you too experience it firsthand! There is a yelp event here tomorrow. Don't miss it!
(4)Tom H.
I've been going to Strats for years now. I've always been a fan. I usually grab a burger or a hot dog both of which are super solid. My parents actually really enjoy the rubens there as well. To me the best thing they have is the cheesy fries. The fries alone are very good, prefect amount of crispness and still nice and soft inside. Then when you add cheese on top, it makes for awesomeness. I would say that if you're driving by you should stop on it, very good place with a nice retro throwback theme.
(4)Michelle B.
This place is so good! The cheese /chili cheese dogs and French fries were awesome! We also had a Tavern Ham and cheese which was one of the best I've ever had. The meat was not fatty at all! For dessert I had a strawberry milkshake which was fabulous and was made with real strawberries! Last but not least the owner was such a nice man! He talked to us for a while and recommend several items! Oh, and they came around with free samples of ice cream! :)
(5)Kari M.
Strats has delicious options that no one place offers! Must trys are: 2 - way grilled cheese with American and mozzarella cheeses. The tavern ham and cz- the ham is so good!!! Beef and cheddar crossiant is my all time favorite! Their grilled chicken is awesome... try the grilled chicken pita with tomatos, onion and tziki sauce!! ... good cheeseburgers.. great chicago style hot dogs! Strat is a one of a kind resturant owner, truly dedicated to his customers!!!! Keep the yummy food coming!
(5)Sarah S.
Yep it is good. World's Best Reuben...I agree! Co-Workers grab a burger & italian beef and they loved it! The fries were fabulous as well, fresh cut, yummm! -Recommend getting the juice for the italian beef- The atmosphere is great. Lots to look at see. All sorts of timeless decor to view. Great job Strat! We will be back!!
(5)Eric N.
Outstanding food here! The Italian Beef is amazing! So much better than Portillo's or Buona! The steak sandwich is made with a real rib eye steak! Such a great place!
(5)Ashley S.
The two way grilled cheese is seriously to die for! As well as the fresh cut cheese fries. The atmosphere is cozy and full of retro oddities. The service is great, the perfect spot to grab a bite to eat.
(5)Ruby O.
This place is conveniently on my way to work, and I've been passing by it for the past 3 years, and never noticed it. Which is actually not a bad thing, since I would probably eat there everyday. From the get-go, the place doesn't look like much. Hence the fact it took me three years to notice it was even there. The first time I tried this place was a few weeks ago. I decided to try out their famous hot dogs. To be honest, they kind of reminded me of Gene and Judes. But obviously not as good, and definitely not as fast. I went through the drive thru, and was sitting there for at least a good 15 minutes waiting for my food. Mind you, there were no other cars in front of me. The thing I remember the most about the hot dogs was the fresh cut fries they put on top of them-like Gene and Judes. They were definitely fresh, soft, and had the perfect flavor. The hot dog, although it was definitely good, it just wasn't anything I can't get anywhere else. The second time I tried this place was today. I have to say that aside from the long wait again in the drive thru, I was impressed. This time I got a grilled ham and cheese with french fries. The grilled cheese comes with a side of potato salad as well. So lets dissect; the french fries, as usual, don't disappoint. I can literally eat a whole bag of them in one sitting. I'm willing to wait the long wait they put me through each time just for those puppies. The potato salad wasn't the best. My mom makes AMAZING potato salad, so I guess if I compare it to that, theirs isn't great. To be honest, the biggest turn off for me was that the potatoes were a little under cooked. Now, the grilled ham and cheese is another story. I have to say I was VERY impressed with the quality of their ham. Its so tender and juicy, and they slice it up so thin, it mixes in perfectly with the melted cheese. They use both cheddar and mozzarella. Personally, I can do without the cheddar, I'm more of a mozzarella kinda gal. But nonetheless, it was pretty delicious. I also loved the fact that their bread was toasted to perfection, but still soft. Best part about this visit? I paid $6 for all that food! I couldn't even believe it! I was sure she made a mistake, but the receipt was right! Seriously guys, for the price, it doesn't get much better.
(3)August A.
Awesome place how can you not love this they give you a free tiny scoop of ice cream with every order and best fresh squeezed lemonade you can have in the summertime!
(5)Zach J.
Car tire blew out on North Ave. this afternoon, so I dropped by this place while the mechanic was working on the car. Expect quintessential Chicago hot dog favorites at this place. Very good fresh cut fries. I went with the ribeye steak sandwich since they were promoting it as their #1. I really loved it. Not chewy at all, and seasoned well. Nothing but love for family owned places like this competing with over-priced joints like Portillos. I'll come back when I'm back for work.
(5)Jake M.
I decided to check out Strat's Diner today after hearing positive things from a friend. And holy smokes, am I glad that I did!! My Reuben was world class and maybe the MOST DELICIOUS thing i've eaten in a while. To top it off, it came with a side of potato salad which tasted like it was made by my mother. So, so, so good, I can't emphasis this enough!! I absolutely recommend Stat's Diner to anyone with taste buds. 10 out of 10, will eat again.
(5)Angela P.
I went to Strat's for Yelp's Burger Binge Week, and I wasn't too upset that the $5 burger check-in deal wasn't working. Ruby O's review and photo already had me sold on the ham & cheese melt. This sandwich was amazing. What's better than a greasy, toasted sandwich with ham and lots of melty, gooey cheese? I think the cheese was a combination of mozzarella and American. I also ordered fries. The fries were limp, soggy, and there were a few in the bag that were still firm, like an uncooked potato. I still ate them, but I would not order fries at Strat's again. I was only behind one car in the drive-thru, and the wait was a lot longer than drive-thru service usually is. The wait at the drive-thru is comparable to waiting for food at Culver's - it's cooked to order, so be patient. I didn't go inside, but it looked like a cute 1950s diner from the outside. Sandwich, good. Fries, bad. If you're looking to mix it up and are tired of the other drive-thru options, and want some greasy grub, I'd give Strat's another shot.
(3)