The Original Burger King

Visited the original Burger King in Mattoon, IL and had a great experience overall. The crispy chicken sandwich was delicious—crispy, fresh, and flavorful. The ice cream cone was excellent and hit the spot. Fries were a bit under-seasoned for my taste, but still decent. Loved the nostalgic atmosphere and the comfortable seating made it a pleasant place to enjoy a quick meal!

Food here was great from the burgers to the strawberry Shake. Highly recommend stopping in here if you are in the area. Just so happens I was in the area for work and had this placed marked as wanting to try! Great story behind this delicious place!

This is not the Burger King you are thinking of! This Burger King actually predates the existence of the chain restaurant Burger King in Illinois. There is an interesting story regarding a name dispute between the owners of this restaurant and the corporate Burger King. After learning of the dispute from a YouTube video, I knew that I had to visit while I was in town! What I love is how it feels like a step back in time; I actually felt like I was in the 50’s or 60’s when I was in this restaurant. Now mind you, it is well kept up and clean. I got the Hooter burger (named after the original owners) as a meal with fries and a milkshake, and let me tell you, that meal blew the corporate Burger King out of the water in every metric! Everything was fresh, the portions were generous, and it was all very reasonably priced. When you come here, you feel like you’re back in the good ol’ days! I highly recommend you check this place out!

Did drive through, photos of dining room look like typical fast food joint. The burgers are very good, fries were good, onion rings overcooked.

Hooter burger was delicious and so were the fries. And topped it off with lemon ice cream cone with googly eyes . If you are in east central Illinois, this is a must stop.

Food was great. I'd never been here before, and the person at the counter was very helpful while I was ordering. It was around 2:30 when I stopped in, and to my surprise it was pretty busy: that's gotta tell you something about this place. I just had a burger and fries. I filled up my soda cup, and as soon as I sat down, my food was ready. Will definitely stop by again next time I'm in the area.

It's definitely better than the chain Burger King. The fries are probably the best I've had at any fast food place (even better than McDonald's). The cheeseburgers and chicken tenders are also pretty good. You should also try a Glacier, which is kind of like a Blizzard. My favorite flavor is cookie dough. The inside of the building looks nice. Their gift cards are good Christmas/Birthday presents. I'm not sure if they always have this deal or if it's just during Christmas season, but you can get $6 gift cards for $5. I got a few of them myself. Good deal!

Fun bit of history behind this place. Back in the 1950s, this local restaurant in Mattoon opened as Burger King and legally trademarked the name in Illinois before the national chain ever arrived. When the Florida based Burger King expanded into the state in the 1960s, it led to a famous court case that ruled the local spot could keep the name within a 20 mile radius, while the national chain had to stay out. That ruling still stands today, which is why the nearest chain Burger King is about 25 miles away. It’s not just a meal here it’s a piece of American trademark history.

This place is what the national chain should of been. I rather have this Burger King over the multimillion dollar one. A burger king that has great five star service, good restrooms, good food and items like hot dogs with great history too. It was absolutely worth the stop. I came here originally to stop in Casey illinois and I learned about this place and I had to stop here. Did not regret it! I would happily drive back to patronize this business again. You can't beat the "OG" Burger King

Probably some of the best burgers in central illinois hands down! This is the original Burger King location that had to fight to keep their name and is nothing like the chain restaurants. Food is delicious and prepared fresh to order. Burgers are smash burgers which are a favorite of mine. It's like crack cocaine of hamburgers to me and I could eat em like Wimpy from Popeye's!

The food is always good! I highly recommend a double cheeseburger and Onion Rings. Best Ice Cream in town.

My all time favorite burger. Always and forever. I've come here since I was a child and now I bring my kids.

Thee best. We ordered the junior cheeseburger, double cheeseburger, fries, chicken strips, a small lemon cone, and a small banana shake. Cheeseburger was excellent. Perfect thinness and combination of toppings. Thin shaved onion tomato and lettuce. I think they make their pickles and those have a great vinegar dill freshness too. Fries were crispy, the lemon ice cream was creamy and not too sweet, and the banana shake was made with fresh bananas. I wish there were more places like this around and less of that other place that goes by the same name. Burger King of Mattoon, IL is truely the king of burgers.

Not to be confused with the major burger chain, this place goes back to the 1940s! It is said that the people who started this had to fight hard to keep the name, and I believe it was a judge that ruled they can keep it since the Burger King we all know existed afterwards. I was in Mattoon on a short road trip and I knew I had to check this one out. Read a lot of great reviews on their burgers and fries. But, in the end, I found them to be well, not too different than what I get at other places. Example: the burger tasted like something I could get at Freddy's or Culvers. The fries were okay. They weren't crinkly or blatantly the frozen kind - instead, they were more breaded. I also ordered a big cheese sauce which added to the flavors. I was still hungry afterwards so I got an Oreo blizzard (I know that's not what they call it but similar). The only thing I was really disappointed in besides the food was the look. Everybody notes the nostalgic-ness but the building surprisingly didn't look that old, nor did it bring any old vibes. But oh well...at least I can say I've eaten here!

This isn't your normal Burger King. I mean that literally as this isn't associated with the chain. It opened 1 year prior to the first "have it your way" BK. The food here is simple, and you get what you order. I ordered the Bacon Cheeseburger with everything on it, and that's what I got. I would compare it to a Butterburger from Culvers. The fries were also well done. Obviously when you go to a place that sells ice cream you have to get it. We went with the twisted cone and this bad boy was huge! It's just a simple half and half cone, but it did the job. This place is like you are walking into a time machine and going back to a mid century diner. If you are driving through this town take the detour and get this food.

They have the absolute best cheeseburgers ever. I do not even eat meat but I have definitely made an exception once or twice for this place. Their fries are better than any fries I have ever had, and they have pretty good ice cream too!

Quick Service. Burger was mediocre wish it was served a little hotter. We also enjoyed ice cream it was good.

I know they use fresh locally produced ground beef from the Morgans Meat Market. It's a great family Burger and Ice cream shop with great tasting food. Service is great also! It is much like it has been since the sixties and has a family oriented Ambiance. I personally do not know anyone who doesn't go there.

Good food, good service employees are nice didn't mess up anything overall good experience

This Burger King puts the chain to shame! Their burgers and fries are simple, yet so delicious and you cannot beat the prices! The staff was friendly and the food was fresh.

This place used to be the best!! Lately it consists of kids running it, and everyone standing around eating on the clock. So disgusting!! The manager does not wear gloves, and he is very rude! He also eats while he is packing the orders up. We also watched staff on break eating then they returned back to handle food with out washing hands or wearing gloves! So disappointed! Definitely not the way it used to be! We will not be back!!

Very cool place. Prices are cheap and food is delicious. Will absolutely be making a return trip again when I'm in the area!

I used to love eating here. However, last time I was there I had stuff floating around in my drink so I had to pour it out. I don't think they are cleaning out the soda fountain like they are suppose to. Please if anyone is reading this CLEAN THE MACHINES! It's so gross! Now I'm afraid to eat there for fear of things not being cleaned properly! This place deserves to stay in business just needs proper care and maintenance!

I love this local burger place, but for the out-of-towners it's not what most expected. Here is a link to the story. https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/illinois/original-burger-king-il/

went in on a Sunday night and got ice cream. the young lady sacking with pink hair was a delight. my pro to pup was superb. not to mention the orange dole whip was TO DIE FOR.

Burger King. Before there was "Burger King." Yep, before all of the various and sundry hamburger chains began dotting the American landscape, this burger joint began operations in 1952 in the central Illinois burgh of Mattoon. In fact, its establishment predated the big chain Burger King and, through a landmark trademark case, allowed the little guys here to keep BK outside a twenty-mile radius of this restaurant location. Beyond the historical footnotes, this restaurant puts out a steady stream of tasty burgers, fries, shakes, and ice cream. Food is ordered at the counter before you carry out or sit at a table as you please. The burgers are on the thin side but well put together with the regular condiments you'd expect: ketchup, mustard, garden veggies, pickles. Service is friendly as you'd expect in this slice of the Heartland.

This place is literally subpar. You might as well go through a drive-through. When you say you want everything on a hotdog they put mayonnaise on it. So we asked for Chicago style and this is what we got on and hotdogs for burgers are good and are similar to Culver's. Otherwise the service was great and the tables are clean outside

No whoppers here! As they say "this is not A Burger King, this is THE Burger King". Est. 1952 around 10 years before the Burger King franchise came to Illinois. They sued the franchise given they had copyright of the name, but lost that battle, however to soften the blow there was an order put in place that still exists today, where no Burger King franchise could be within 20 miles of this Burger King! It's an old school fast food joint that my hubby used to go to when he was in college in Charleston, so we had to stop and get cheeseburgers, fries and icecream for nostalgia memories. 4 cheeseburgers and a pound (yes a pound!) of fries that are super crispy unlike any I've had before for $10! Cheeseburgers are like better versions of McDonald's cheeseburgers (or what I remember McDonald's cheeseburgers tasting like... I haven't had one for years!). Friendly service and always nice to go to a historic place like this :)

I always stop in the Burger King when I'm in Mattoon. They're not associated with the chain Burger King. The burgers are cooked on a flat grill and are very thin. The fries are breaded. I've had most of their menu offerings and love them all. The fish and chicken are good too if you don't like burgers. During COVID they're requesting masks until you're at your table and have outdoor dining. Tip: When you enter there are two lines. The two cash registers to the left are for food and the window straight on is for ice cream orders.

This original Burger King started in 1952! My Hubby used to live in this area and was always telling me about this little burger joint! We drive over at least once a year to eat here. The hamburgers are simple, small and taste like childhood. This time they had upgraded a bit and put in a drink fountain station. I think some of the tables and chairs are new too. But thankfully the burgers and fries haven't changed a bit! So much in life changes, it's fun to go to a place you remember and it still be exactly as it was. We take a road trip and head East and stop at all our favorite places and always eat at Burger King! The employees are always friendly and your order comes out fast in paper sacks. The milkshakes are thick and creamy and we especially like the strawberry. This is not the Burger King franchise you think. This is the original. If you are ever near by, stop in and check this place out!

The establishment is clean, but I found it outdated which I was surprised considered a few recent posted stated the new owner renovated the dinning area. To me it looked like the owner grabbed tables from a Burger King from the 70's. The person taking orders was friendly and the service was rather quick. However, there was not much to the burger. I would say the dominating taste was the bun and I could barely tell the meat was there... and the famous one liner of, "wheres the beef!" came to mind. The fires were okay, nothing special. I would say you have to come here at least once so you have some bragging rights on the history of this place. As one one fellow Yelper suggested, it's nice doing a quick read on the background to the BurgerKing brand name, but other than that, you certainly will not miss anything if you never give this place a try. For me, this place is a, "been there and done that" mentality and probably will not visit again.

Amazing we love it so much and I love that we know the owners it's locally owned and operated not apart of the chain either but we love it and you will too yah soo yah

Best fast food hamburger I've had in quite awhile. The Original Burger King is The Undisputed King of Burgers!

This place has always been Great ! Thank you for staying Home town Proud ! From the Band Days to Family Days ! So Glad You are still Here ! Great Service and Fabulous Food ! Stop and Enjoy the Good Nostalgic of the Eras ! Hugs !

Not the home of the WHOPPER. No whoppers here. Old sixties feel, and menu. Burgers hand flattened and grilled crispy edges. Great food friendly service. We each had DOUBLE cheese burger. Very good.

THE ORIGINAL BURGER KING! Besides Villa, this is the other place to be when you are in Mattoon (or so the locals tell me). I'll take the burgers and fries here any day over the chain restaurant. The burger was tasty and the fries were crispy! I think the fries must have been coated in something to make them extra delicious. They also have an assorted array of desserts...which I will try next time I stop by.

I would recommend this place because the cheeseburger are good and the fries are good and the lemon ice cream is good and the shakes here are awesome good service , good staff , good stuff.

This is it for me--hamburger Mecca. Not to be confused with Burger King, the chain, Mattoon's The Burger King is a completely seperate entity (establish first) and has no relation or resemblance--and its hamburgers put the chain's charbroiled slabs of meat to shame. Here is the home of thin, greasy hamburgers and amazing crunchy french fries worth driving miles and miles for. I usually get a double cheese and top it off with a hand-made cherry Coke or if I'm really indulging, a chocolate cherry Coke (yes, they MAKE their own). The food is relatively cheap, the building is the original diner-style, there's a jukebox, and the nasally guy calling out your numbers make this the ultimate nostalgia trip for those remembering the good old days of big cars, big tunes, and savory fast food. Sure, you'll probably earn a coronary from a meal there, but it's oh-so worth it. The ice cream and shakes are also well worth diving into, but I'm usually so full from my burger and fries, I don't partake in it. A vanilla shake is a great treat in the afternoon just by itself.

The "original" Burger King. Read about it, decided I had to stop by. It's not much of a detour from the interstate. The bun is fine but nothing special, miles better than those thin, floppy McDonald's buns for sure. The patties aren't that big, similar to fast food patties, but they are somewhat crisp-looking and just feel much better. I think you can get mushrooms on the burger, I should've asked for some. I got onion rings on the side, and that was one big minus - you really don't get that many for the regular size, definitely not enough to justify $3. I also got some soft serve. Flavor of the week (?) was cotton candy. I think I kept thinking about bubble gum since they're both blue ice creams, and they are definitely not the same. I think the disappointment there was just what I was expecting. It's a huge cone for $1.29 or whatever though.

May I ad that it finally took Covid to get them to take cleaning the tables in a promptly matter seriously. For once the tables were washed. Back in 2019 when I went there there were a million teenage employees just standing around behind the counter staring while every single table in the building was covered in crumbs and smeared with ketchup. (Maybe investing in those standard industry plastic fast food trays might have some benefit for dine in meals over just a paper bag?) The management needs to keep this up post Covid, time to haul out the old slogan to the kid employees "you've got time to lean, you've got time to clean."

Great double cheeseburger 3.09 upgrade 3.00 for ok fries and a nice small chocolate malt. Get off the highway, 3 miles.

Lots of good reviews here, but I've been a couple of times and it has to be the mystique of the underdog that keeps this place afloat. The ice cream is great, but IMHO the food is poor and over priced. Service has been slow too. Long waits for food with some of it hot and some of it cold when it should all be hot. I really don't see much in remodeling. Still look like an inexpensive hamburger joint. Much better food for your dollar imho. Try Little Mexico.

Stumbled upon this place by mistake. Wasn't expecting what I saw when pulling up, but wasn't disappointed either. Prices are cheap, burgers are good, and service was nice. I can see where people can be confused like I was driving up to this place. Worth the stop and every penny spent!

Why is everything different? I live in Florida I'm 40 years old and one thing I could always count on was Burger King to be the same. When I came to visit Grandma this year my first stop was my favorite place, Burger King!!! I was very surprised it was a Friday in the middle of lunch time. Lines have always been so long there and understandably so. Not this past Friday, hardly anyone there. I wondered why??? When I sat down with my food everything was different. EVERYTHING!! It was awful almost inedible right down to the fries. We had burgers, fries, fish sandwich... My heart was broken. I don't know what has happened but it's BAD!!! It's REALLY REALLY BAD!!!!! Have you tasted your tartar sauce alone??? I am in complete devastation that this place I have counted on since childhood is gone. I have a feeling it will get emptier and emptier... I wish u the best and hope you can get back to the roots of the Burger King that is so loved and adored all over this country. Thanks

The current owner has really returned The Original Burger King to its former glory. Great burgers, onion rings and more. This is a "must try" if you visit Mattoon ("Matt-tune" not "Mu-tune").

Well, nostalgic ridiculousness aside... This place is terrible. You want a drink that isn't 80% ice? Be prepared to pay extra. Want a glass of water? Pay up. The only reason this place has remained open is because of the tithe the corporate burger king has to pay them because they existed first every year. So now it's been "renovated" and appears that required a 25-30% increase in price. Lol, this is the kind of place that made 16 burgers purportedly, from every pound of beef so that "double" is smaller than a Quarter pounder with cheese but costs more. WAY OVERPRICED food that is the same as its been for 40-50 years. Prepare to be dissatisfied and disappointed.

Very enjoyable. Small town vibe. Clean. Fast. Burger was good. Fries good. Very pleasant experience except the guy calling out the numbers does it in an exaggerated bellowing style the clearly annoyed other diners as well. Overall very good and recommended.

Very good burger!!! I'm not from the area but will try to eat here before I leave again. The banana split was also really good. And big!

This is the burger place that time forgot. We didn't go here a lot when I lived in Mattoon, because the wife likes to eat healthy. If you haven't read up on the story of the battle with the Burger King chain, I suggest you do. The atmosphere of this place was always awesome to me. It's that style of diner/restaurant where you here a guy barking out orders and numbers, the sizzle of the grill, and the grease-infused walls and booths bathed in dim lighting. Fast food burgers made the way they were when fast food began. Nothing seems fake or glossed over. Probably not the best burger you will eat, but it is worth 4 stars for the experience alone.

I had to wait 30 minutes for a fast food burger that was greasy and just thrown together. The fries are amazing but it's not worth the high price and the high wait times for an alleged "fast" food place.

Burger King in Mattoon is excellent. Try the "Hooter"it is scrumtrulessent!!! Their French fries are the best. Reasonably priced.

The original BK and its nothing like the fast food joint. Although, this is fast food it is very tasty. I grew up in the area and when I come back to visit this is the first place we come. We always order the family pack its four burgers and fries, its more than enough for two. You can order pop and add cherry or vanilla syrup for not extra cost. This is a must stop in Mattoon.

As the lady in line in front of me said, "If you've never eaten here before, you have to get the double cheeseburger!" Which we did. Awesome. It has that perfect balance of juicy diner burger with the grilled crispy-ish edges and melting cheese. I also had the mushrooms, and those were pretty darn good, too. They don't serve them with any dipping sauce, but just ask for a packet of ranch dressing, and they're quick to oblige. I'm from St. Louis, and they remind me of our Carl's Drive-In burgers. We now eat at this Burger King every time we're in Mattoon.

I am from Mattoon and whenever I visit or take one of my friends home, we always go to Burger King to eat. Where else can you get a Hooter that is so greasy good. (Oh never mind) The fries are really good and one of the best items is the delicious lemon ice cream. Whenever you are in Mattoon you need to stop by the original Burger King and get a Hooter.

Yes, the Original Burger King is in Mattoon! The things that folks from Mattoon love about Burger King are: Vanilla Cokes, Eyeballs on your Ice Cream Cone, Crispy Edged Hamburger Patties, Vinegar for your fries, Lemon cones and for your Number to be Called that your order is ready.

I'd give Burger King five stars but I'm not a fan of the new fries. Burgers and ice cream rock!

Yelp has the menu for the National Burger King not the original local Burger king attached in 2 places on this site.

Phenomenal burger spot. A perfect example of Midwest smash burger goodness. Burgers w/ crispy edges, crispy fries, ice cream, and a "feel good" atmosphere. If you don't like this place, it's not their fault, it's your fault.