Polk-A-Dot Drive In
222 N Front St, Braidwood, IL, 60408
Polk-A-Dot Drive In Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Braidwood for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Braidwood for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Braidwood for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
222 N Front St
Braidwood, IL, 60408 - Phone (815) 458-3377
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Opening Hours
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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 : No
Waiter Service : No
Drive-Thru : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Burgers
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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.
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Steve M.
I've encountered some pretty ignorant people in my time, but the owner of this establishment takes the cake. We've been working on railroad property near his outdated little shack for a while now & have been subjected to his constant harassment on a daily basis. If you support the working man don't support this d-bag. Not to mention his food is awful.
(1)melissa m.
Cute place but the food is nothing special. The only thing that wowed us was the size of the large fries. Between the four of us we had the bacon cheeseburger (dry and tasteless), vanilla milkshake (I'd rather have it with real ice cream, not sure what was in the bottom of the cup when all the 'liquid' was gone), fish sandwich and large cheese fries (good fries with s sufficient amount of cheese). We were going to get them with bacon but found out they were bacon bits, which we all know is not bacon. There is not one healthy thing on the menu but that's not what you come to a diner like this for. They should have at least one or two healthy options on the menu though. When they don't it says to me that fresh food (which is usually the healthiest) is not a priority for them as most of their food probably comes from a delivery service specializing in pre-made foods. Service is non existent and I can't say what's so special about the food that the place has been around so long, but it's worth checking out once to get off on the nostalgia.
(3)Allison F.
As a native of the area, Polk-A-Dot has received its 15 minutes of fame here and there in books and documentaries, enticing visitors as a place to stop on your journey along Route 66. Why you should stop: -take pictures with the statues along the perimeter of the building -visit a summertime car show that's being held in the parking lot -check out the 1950s memorabilia inside of the drive-in Why you shouldn't stop: -the greasy, run-of-the-mill fried food and drink that tastes like the fryer Unfortunately, you're better off hitting up the McDonald's across the street. Make sure you take a picture with Marilyn Monroe though!
(2)Kristin M.
I'm not sure why this place has any claim to fame. I get that it's on route 66 but aside from that I was not impressed. Yeah it has the statues and the 50's feel but so do lots of places. Anyways, we stopped in here after a day of hiking for a quick dinner. We ordered burgers with fries and onion rings. Fries and onion rings were ok but the burger was McDonald's quality. The burger patty was so thin! At least the prices were cheap. Lastly, I know I can't judge a restaurant by the clientele who visits but I couldn't help it in this case. While we were trying to eat this "lady" who looked strikingly familiar to Honey Boo Boo's mom was screaming her head off at her five barefoot children who were running wild through the restaurant. I swear if I heard, "JOSH PUT THE TOWEL IN THE CAR!" one more time I was going to lose my mind. It was so bad that we ended up eating outside.
(2)Sarah M.
Double cheeseburger was pretty good but the cheese dog was a cheap hotdog with cheese that you use with fries on top. Fries were decent. They serve Pepsi and have a lot of ice cream options.
(3)Steven M.
Driving down RT66 we found Elvis hanging out front. If it's good enough for the King! Ice cream was what we were looking for on a hot steamy day. And I haven't had a banana split since I was 10. No glass dish like I remember and it was soft serve, but it hit the spot non the less. Clean place and appealing to the eye. They had 12 pieces of fried chicken for $13.50. That would make a great lunch! Until next time.
(4)Matthew P.
On February 14, I ordered a pizza puff basket as well as a cheeseburger meal. I've lived in Braidwood since 1997 and have been to this restaurant probably 50 times or more. The restaurant has changed management and the food has gotten worse and the price has gone up considerably. On my order on 2/14/2015, the restaurant burned the outside of the pizza puff while the inside was raw. The burger too was burnt on the outside with a raw middle. I called two days later to complain and I was called a "liar" and told, "take your petty business elsewhere." The person on the phone said that her parents owned the restaurant and they didn't need my business. I'm shocked. Is this how you treat a loyal customer who has been going here for over a decade?
(1)Mike B.
Great food! Can't go wrong with the burger and cheese fries. The place is very cool inside. Pleasant staff and good service. Will definitely go back.
(5)George W.
This is a pretty authentic, mom and pop drive in (with a drive thru window for the winter months, when it's too cold to do drive ins). The inside is diner chic - the old tables and booths. There is an old style juke box with RECORDS (note to those born after 1990 - these are flat plastic discs that has music pressed into the grooves, that get played through a phonograph needle - if you've never seen one, this is the place). A bunch of the seats have wall boxes, so you can sit down, eat, and play music. It's all stuff from the 50s and 60s for the most part. Enough of that - on to the food. I was in for dinner, and ordered their Whopper sandwich, with everything (why not?) It was a double patty with cheese, and I never ran out of pickles. I think the bottom bun was painted with them - I had one in every bite. I'm not a big fan of fries, but these were fresh. The place has all you could want - a kiddy car for a quarter for those with younger kids, 50's and 60's artwork all over the walls, and kind of a fun, retro-look. The next time you go by, stop in for a bite to eat. They have a wide menu to choose from. It's worth a stop.
(3)Don M.
Crusing route 66 this is a must stop. From Giant Elvis greeting you when you drive in to the history inside. Cool place and can fill the tummy with various delights. We stopped for ice cream. Warm day need something refreshing. I went for the M&M Swirl, thick shale with M&M's a little heavy but very tasty. Lots of memorabilia in the entrance and all around. A must stop on any journey.
(4)Andrea P.
The Polk-a-dot is a nice change of pace from the national chains. The food is usually good, just inconsistent. I like the chili cheese dogs, but more often than not, the hot dogs are served at room temperature. Also, this past weekend, we ordered two small shakes that were served to us only half full. I'd noticed they felt light, but didn't think to take off the lids to look until we'd driven away. The shakes tasted fine, but we felt so cheated!
(3)Samantha P.
The food there isn't as great as it used to be. I got an Italian beef with garlic butter, and mozzarella cheese. It was so soggy the bread was mush. I ate the beef without the bread, and it had no flavor at all. I decided to give it another chance a few weeks ago, and went with the hoagie. It was so salty that I couldn't even finish it. Some of their prices are just crazy. I bought a cheese dog, fries, and then a fish dinner that cost me $17.93! I couldn't believe it! All the fish dinner had was 2 little pieces of fish, and a handful of fries. No drinks come with the dinners, either. You have to purchase those separately. Good thing that I didn't get any drinks. They do have great cheese burgers, and their chili cheese fries are amazing. The atmosphere wasn't too friendly either. High schoolers working there, and when their friends would come in they would stand around and talk to them while there are 4 people in line. Not the best experience I've had there.
(1)Laura B.
My mum and I stopped in here for a milkshake and were quite delighted. I can't speak for the food but the interior was just what you'd want in a classic Route 66 diner. The milkshake was perfect, the price was great, and the staff was friendly. Plus you can take a picture with Elvis, Marilyn, and Betty Boop! Get that selfie face on!
(5)Matt W.
To Kelly m don't go through the drive go in an eat you'll have better time and the place is lot cooler try pot a dot again Kelly m
(4)Rick D.
Had the Italian beef. It was dry and the taste was off. Onion rings are ok. Burger didn't look appetizing and it was worst than McDonalds happy meal burger. The staff was gossiping loudly the whole time and they didn't look like they liked their job.
(1)Pam D.
Elvis has NOT left the building, at least not at the Polk-A-Dot Drive In in Braidwood. His spirit thrives here among memorabilia such as a full size statue and a women's restroom decked floor to ceiling (literally) with photos, drawings and posters of the King. Christopher checked out the men's room and reported it to be a shrine to Marilyn Monroe. One long wall of the Drive-in is adorned with framed photos of television icons of the 1950's, including Superman, The Three Stooges and Howdy Doody. The decor is totally 50's in all it's glory. They even have an old Wurlitzer jukebox stacked with 45's from the era. The price has gone up to a quarter a play, but who cares? I got to sip my root beer and listen to the Purple People Eater. It doesn't get much better than that. This place has been here off old Route 66 since 1956. It is the real deal and not some corporate manufactured retro like Johnny Rockets. It sits on a quiet country road, not in the middle of a mall. As for the food, well to me it was almost unimportant. I would have loved this place no matter what, but we actually got good food here. I had their chicken snack, which consisted of two pieces of fried chicken and a side of mashed taters. The chicken was very good and the taters (obviously not homemade) were ok for what they were. The corn dogs were crispy and the burgers were very good. Christopher had a green river (fountain drink) with his burger and I grooved over my beloved root beer. We ended the day with some great geocaching by the Kankakee River before heading back to the city. The Polk-A-Dot Drive In was a perfect destination for two folks suffering from cabin fever and nostalgia and maybe a touch of arthritis on the side. Sometimes it is just really nice to find the small quiet spots where history lingers in the memories of vintage cars cruising old Route 66. As long as there are such places, Elvis will always be King and the Green River will flow.
(5)Theresa C.
After years of passing by it, I finally stopped in the Polk-A-Dot Drive In. My one disappointment was I didn't come here sooner. Double yeah for all the memorabilia! I definitely love the old drive-in feel of this place. I ordered the Turtle Sundae and it was extremely yummy. They use the good ice cream not the ice milk garbage. Topping it off with hot fudge and caramel.. I'm in heaven. And if I didn't have enough (and yes, I ate my dessert first), I also ordered the corn dog. So nice and crunchy without any mushy hot dog in the middle. They know how to rock a corn dog. One side note: Am I the only one who finds Elvis in the bathroom was a little creepy? It's a little hard to go when the King is staring at you. I'm just saying....
(4)Onur U.
I have to admit, I was duped. I was marooned in Braidwood for a couple days and admittedly didn't have high hopes for the food they're serving in town. But then I spotted the polk-a-dot drive-in that's been there for some 50 years and I figured there was a chance I could actually sample some local flavor. Sadly that flavor was straight from a food service truck. The interior looks like a scene from Disneyworld. The walls are covered in 1950's memorabilia (somehow I doubt that's how they decorated back when they opened up in the 1950's) and they're playing rock and roll music. The tables even have jukeboxes on them, ok, corny, but at least they're committed to the schtick. I got a burger, a chilli dog, and an order of onion rings. The burger was the best of the bunch. Frozen patty, soft bread, sweet, jarred pickles, topped with ketchup and mustard. Would I rather have gone to the McD's across the street for a burger? Probably not. The chilli dog is made "Chicago style," but they forgot one big thing, Chicago dogs are made with Vienna beef hot dogs, not the twilight-zone white franks that taste microwaved. Really, this is as bad as a hot dog could be and the chilli tasted like it was out of can. The rings were fine. At least they're fried to order even if they came from a big bag of frozen rings. I had the distinct pleasure of watching them fill up the milkshake machine with a giant bag of white liquid. Oof. Glad I didn't spring for a malt. I was hoping for a mom-and-pop atmosphere with classic american junk food made to order and with care. The kind of thing that usually makes a place worth keeping around for 50 years. What I got was cafeteria quality food served with a side of plastic, 1950's nostalgia. It's kind of fun when you walk in, but not so much when you walk out.
(2)Ronda P.
This place is great! The food is tasty, the price is right, and the atmosphere is inviting. There were 4 of us for dinner on Black Friday and we ordered a variety of items - italian beef, cheese fries, fish, etc. Everything was cooked well and tasted great. The only downside is it was kind of busy (probably because it was a Friday night) and the food took a little longer than I would expect it normally does. But my sister was so impressed, she couldn't stop thinking about it, and took the 25-minute drive back the next day to eat there again!
(4)Nels W.
You can probably tell what you're getting into just by looking at the place. The food was good and reasonably priced and the memorabilla is fun and funky (and plentiful).
(4)D M.
Old school diner. Reminds me of the places you used to go as a kid. Fast, friendly. If you walk in expecting McDonalds, turn around and walk across the street.
(4)Lisa B.
I will never go back into this place, worse food I have ever had. All 3 of us threw out our food after taking about 2 bites, would rather eat at McDonalds. On top of it the workers are crabby and rude. The only good thing about this place is the decorations. I would not of even given this place 1 star.
(1)Drew F.
It's an alright diner to visit and eat. If this is the only one you've ever been to you'll love the food. Compared to other diners though, I'd say it's average. Really cool statues and decor throughout though.
(3)Kelly M.
Their customer service is awful, their employees are rude and I will never return. The girl who took my order was rude and the girl at the drive though window was disrespectful. I will never return. I am disappointed in their management for allowing such unfortunate behavior.
(1)Meghan G.
This place looks so promising with the very cool Route 66 spinning sign and neon abound. The inside is the same, really neat '50's style diner. The only thing missing is good food. My cheeseburger, very sadly, was comparable to McDonalds. It was a once frozen, still flavorless, party. Fries were ok. My kids had hot dogs that were the worst quality I've ever seen. Husband had an Italian beef which was really bad (yes, i asked him- why would you order that at a diner outside of chicago?) Yes the price was cheap but you definitely pay for what you get. I should have known what I was getting into hen my cheeseburger was $1.85. Adorable place but go for a shake or green river, not food. Very disappointed :(
(2)Mike S.
On my drive down Route 66 I stopped here for lunch. The food was okay. I didn't leave disappointed, but nothing really stood out. The service was good. It definitely has that 50's style feel to it. Well, I assume it does, I wasn't around in the 50's and the closest thing I can compare it to is Lou's Cafe in Back to the Future. There are statues of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Betty Boop outside and lots of old pictures on the wall. If this was all you were used to it would be a great place to eat. If you are traveling down Route 66, stop in and check it out. If you are from Chicago and looking for a mind-blowing hot dog... don't set your expectations that high.
(3)Mary P.
The onion rings are what saved this from being a 2 star review. My grilled cheese was orange American cheese on soggy white bread. They were willing to put fresh tomatoes on it for me, which made it tolerable. BF had a hamburger that he enjoyed. The onion rings were fabulous, however: thick-cut, not too bready, soft and cooked onions, and crisp outside. All of the doors, exterior, to the bathroom, etc., slam, which took away from the general ambiance. It's super kid-friendly, which also adds to the noise level.
(3)Greg L.
This place simply rocks! Whenever we are in Braidwood, which is a lot in the Summer and Fall months, we cannot make it past without stopping. Our favorite Saturday place for lunch! We especially recommend the burgers, fries, and chili cheese fries. Their chili cheese fries are worth the drive from the Chicago area alone! Very clean place, and wonderfully friendly service. If you have an extra 15 minutes or so of waiting time, order the fried chicken. Outstanding!
(5)Ron R.
OK,hands down, with atmosphere, this place is great. From the old drive in architecture, to the location on Old Rt 66, the drive in does good on atmosphere. However, this is a restaurant, and in the food category, it falls flat. We expected home made food, made from recipes passed down from 1956.(The sign claims they've been open that long). Unfortunately, the food was obviously typical SYSCO type factory food. The problem is, the burgers and fries tasted exactly like any other restaurant that depends on a factory for food instead of good old hard work. When ordering, I was torn between onion rings and chili cheese fries. I asked the teenage order taker for advice and she said she loved the chili cheese fries. I was not so amorous toward them. Typical frozen fries, canned chili and canned cheese. Meh- I had to laugh when leaving we saw a sign that said "Famous for Chili Cheese Fries"
(2)Monica B.
This is one of those places that is nice to visit if you are driving by, but to make a special trip to go here is a waste of time. I came here based upon the best fried chicken thread on this site. First of all by no means is their fried chicken the best I ever had like someone said, but it is acceptable. The sides however were nasty, the mashed potatoes were fake flake potatoes out of a box and the cole slaw had no flavor, the roll was real good though. My husband had a poorboy that was a real nice large size, but will we be going back anytime soon? Hardly. The one thing this place has going for it is the Hollywood decor and memorabilia, which is fun to look at. Also, don't expect drive in service like pulling the car up and having the waitress come outside because they don't do that here, so this place really isn't a drive in afterall, but a cute replica of one.
(3)Bebe N.
Stopped in here at the recommendation of a local. The restaurant is clean and the prices are very reasonable but the food and service is slightly better than okay. I did try the cheese fries and they were good in a nostalgic "I used to eat this when I was a kid" kind of way. There are not a lot of restaurants in the area and this place is definitely better than the McDonald's across the street. If I was in the area and really hungry I would stop in again.
(2)Matthew C.
Decent food and good ice cream products. Typical diner where most everything is fried. It has that drive in feel, and some novel life size decor outside. If you are in the Braidwood area, a good summer's eve stop.
(4)Karl B.
Food is good, it's a fun neat little drive in. But don't go in hoping to get a quick bite. They are SLOWWWW. And if it's busy your really in trouble.
(3)Randy B.
Delicious and cheap. Great float. Route 66 at its finest.
(5)Queen K.
I just can't figure out why people like this place. Is it the decor? Well anyway ...the older woman that takes the orders is just NOT nice! Every time I have tried this place every counter person was just plain unpleasant!!! Why can't they smile and be glad they have customers? Makes me wonder...hmmm...working conditions ...pay... what? Is it the flash frozen food (reheated) they eat on their breaks? Hate to be so harsh but why can't they just smile once in a while? Here is a tip to the staff , people are there to have fun because it looks like a fun place, change your attitudes and be CHEERFUL!! why not? I will probably still go there once a summer because the nieces and nephews like it, I'm a good Auntie and wouldn't dissapoint them. :- ) Ihe place is good for a cone that's about it. Also one more thing if you ever do go to Polka Dot never ever use the drive-up they will ignore you and IF they decide to wait on you, you'll be there about 45 min. for a burger and cheese fries! Oh PLEASE! Would have just driven off if they didn't already have my $$.
(1)Michelle H.
The food here is your standard burger and brat joint fare. It is tasty and always made fresh. But the greatest part of this place is the ambiance. It is an actual drive in, where your order can be placed at your car, brought out to you, and you eat in your car. Or there is a large dining area to enjoy your meal. The walls in the dining area are decked out with tons of 50's and 60's music memorabilia, and the best part is the original Wurlitzer juke box that stands in the corner. It is still in working order and only costs a dime per song. It is filled with records of (you guessed it) golden oldies like stuff from Buddy Holly and Frankie Valli. You can't miss the place, just look for the statues of Jake and Elwood Blues that stand out front.
(4)