Jim Dandy Drive-In

Overall, the staff were very friendly, and the food was amazing. They have some of the best milkshakes I've ever had. However, the restaurant isn’t open to everyone — if you forget your ID or aren’t old enough to have one, you’re most likely not going to be able to eat here due to an unusual policy. I don’t remember the exact amount, but if your bill goes over somewhere between $30 and $50, you're required to show ID.

This is the first review I have left for a place that I have been to several times over the decades (yes, the decades). My first experience with Jim Dandies dates all the way back to 1972 when I was just a poor college student. But they have always been consistent and put out a tasty product with fresh ingredients and awesome milkshakes. Today was no exception. I ordered a basic Bacon Cheeseburger with Tater Tots. The sesame seed bun was soft and fresh. The lettuce 🥬 fresh and crispy. The onions were fresh and did not overpower the flavor of the burger. The burger was a 1/4 lb. Patty and grilled perfectly. You do have the option of requesting the level of doneness. The Bacon was meaty and flavorful. It was crispy and not limp. American cheese was added. They have a house “secret sauce” that they use. The tots were cooked perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft and hot in the middle. The interior looks just like it has for decades but it is clean and orderly. The floors, walls, booths, chairs. Etc have all been well maintained. The nostalgia is thick. It is not a car hop type of place but it certainly has much Portland culture and history on the walls. There are periodic car rallies and shines. The staff were awesome, friendly and attentive. There is a Vegan menu. They have updated and added a couple of corners which contain gaming machines. Minors only signs are posted. Are the expensive gourmet burgers 🍔 nope !!! But the prices are great and the food is tasty. I will continue to return here over more years. Think I should have a meal of Tots and a Chocolate Shake next time !!!

The food was pretty good, but the service was better. The ladies behind the counter are so sweet, and they make absolutely killer shakes. The inside of the restaurant is like a museum. One of the waitresses said to bring your friends and play ispy; well, I’d agree wholeheartedly. Definitely recommend

Step back in time and relax in this old time burger shop, it’s like a living time capsule just full of history. The food was delicious and the service was excellent. Great place for date night with the wife. We had bacon a cheeseburgers fries and a chocolate shake . This is a must see place when in Portland Highly recommended. Definitely worth it. Went back for a second time and just like the first time it was excellent the burgers are fries were delicious. Lots of memories to look at while you wait for your food. Love this place.

The hot dogs are terrible. Way overcooked and shriveled. I ordered a split dog, was not given a split dog. The onion rings were also way overcooked and had no flavor, otherwise. There was 1 guy there who was very friendly, the guy in the back was disgruntled and the older lady up front was quasi nice but very confused. If you are looking for a nice plump dog or something actually grilled I would look elsewhere. I'm still on the hunt for a good hot dog.

The place is super charming! The polish dog was perfect…and the shake flavors are insane! So many to choose from…I got the Black Forest cherry - it was great!

Great old school classic burger. I got a double cheeseburger and fries. Places like this are getting harder and harder to find, so we gotta support the places that are still around! Def worth a visit

This should be on the Oregon Historical Registry!! This place is a cultural icon. Hot Rod history museum inside. And this place serves great burgers & Korn Dogs. Plenty of milkshake flavor options. If you love Got Rods, Kustom Kulture & 50's / 60's aesthetic this place has tons to look at!!

I ordered a reuben, a corn dog, side of onion rings and a medium milkshake. I ordered for take out. Milkshake: very good Onion rings: very good Corn dog: good But if I pay $15.75 for a reuben, it's as skinny as a grilled cheese, and it has processed cheese instead of real Swiss cheese, then I hope you lose all your customers and go out of business. Shame on you! And anyone who serves processed cheese in a Reuben sandwich!

Amazing food, great friendly staff, and cute little diner! Honestly well worth coming here especially with great pricing!

So good. Had the pepe dog and it was exactly what I needed. Husband said his bacon cheeseburger was good as well.

Closed and appears to be abandoned. Wasted my time getting here sounded good, but they're gone.

The definition of a "hole in the wall" kind of place. I've passed by this place so many times, never taking notice. Thankfully one day I did because it's amazing. It's small, though larger inside than expected, and it even includes their own parking lot (unlike so many of these hotspots in Portland). It's a retro, having opened since 1937, American diner. You'll know it's old school because the prices are far cheaper than what you'd expect from a great hole in the wall, wonderful vintage decor on the inside, and its been owned by people who want to stay true to their roots. The food, the food is exactly what you expect: freshly made burgers, thin sliced french fries (a nod to the old ways), tater tots was crunchy and dense milkshakes. They have vegan options too! I personally opted for the Jim Dandy burger (had me going "mmm" upon first bite) and my boyfriend got a regular cheeseburger (good, but not Jim Dandy good). We absolutely loved everything we ordered. The best part is the pricing. It makes you think their pricing is still stuck in the past! Another thing is that there is an 18 and up lottery gaming room, you can buy lottery tickets there, and customer service is great (think small family feel). It's quickly become one of our go-to places and we'll be back for sure!

Food is fine, a little pricey. Service totally sucks. Understaffed by mostly grumpy geriatrics ( if it aint fun at 70, find some other way to fill your days. I am close to 70 and these folks at Jim Dandys embody what I never hope to see in myself). My wife and i dropped by at 1PM, waited outside the vestibule ( they are VERY particular about enter at this door, depart by that door..) with 2 folks waiting to pick up small to go orders, one couple waiting to order. At 1:15 they were still there, my wife and i went elsewhere. This is the 3rd time out of 5 visits where we gave up.. we are done. And i concur with the Yelper who posted JDs silly notice blaming the gubbermint for their slow service. Get in the game or get out of the game.

I was hungry for a really good burger and tater tots. Jim Dandy did not disappoint! I got a cheeseburger and it was exactly what a cheeseburger should be! The tater tots were hot and crispy. I've never ordered a shake as I don't do dairy but I've heard they're amazing! It's a little dive but with really good food and lots to look at while you're waiting.

Gave the Dandy another try, the neighborhood has been struggling and I feel like the Dandy is trying hard. Got a cheeseburger it was excellent! Got onion rings, the oil was not hot enough and the rings were drenched in oil. I'm going to keep supporting them because they are old school Portland and hope they make it!

I came here a few years ago (just came across these old photos that I took, so thought I would write a little review). Anyway, this is a great great place to have a burger and fries (no doubt about that - which is what I had anyway), as well as a few good beers. I cannot say anything for their other food items, except that they have about all of the deli and diner-type breakfasts and brunches and snacks and dinners that you could possibly want. Their menu is big! Not to mention that they have many different flavors of milkshakes. I also love it how this place just has that classic old American feel to it, it takes you back in time when you come here. It has a charm that is very unique, and a lot of Portland memorabilia on the walls!

I've tried 3 times to stop by.. first 2 my fault but now I know the hours.. last time I stopped by 20 minutes before closing.. to get something to go.. lady was locking door..? I said I was getting something to go she said I was closing early.. I just give up..

Outstanding double bacon cheeseburger. my first time try at this place Jim Dandy's and I was not disappointed.

I was in there first time in a while AND THE MORNING crew needs to drink more coffee they where not at all friendly for a patron spending money and actual the man was sown right rude I will spend my cash$$$ else where food soso

This business has changed so much I'm in a mobility chair they told me to wait outside it was raining the owner don't like people in the dining area ordered seafood sampler as always the fish had changed in to fish sticks and the price had gone up won't ever go back

Food is decent, shakes are great. Run by morons. Don't try to blame your shitty management and wages on the "government handouts" that are only a distant memory, all of that is gone, all the while taking over $30k in handouts. I've looked up previous job posting and they pay shit, just like every other failing restaurant.

Anyone of a certain will remember the old time drive ins with carhops on roller skates with rodded up rides that you wish you owned today. The type of place that helped make Happy Days a hit TV show. Well the carhops are gone, and I was a couple of decades behind the original theme, but I can remember coming here after drag races at PIR. Fortunately the food and the people are still good. And tho I don't eat beef anymore there is still plenty for me to choose from, breakfasts, vegetarian items and more. For such a small place the menu is truly large. And for those who like their burgers still you will definitely find choices for your liking. I don't get here as much as I would like to, but I am hoping to see you there at some point reliving the past and enjoying your meal. P.S. you can't go wrong with their shakes!

I had a fantastic Butterfingers Milkshake. Classic interior with a museum's worth of collectibles. A destination spot, for sure. Been here for a very long time for a reason.

My go to burger jt!! They make an excellent shake too! Order ahead for best results!!

This place is a hidden gem! Delicious burgers and fries. Everything was hot, tasty and fresh. Their chili fries are the best ever. Friendly service. We loved all the options for milkshake flavors -- there's probably thousands of combinations you could come up with. We loved the decor of vintage toys and newspapers. I'm not sure why it's called a "drive-in," but hell, who cares? If you want an old school, no frills burger and fries, then this is where you should go. They also have offerings for vegan friends.

This place is a dive but it was so so good! Only been once, got the Texas Burger and Double Cheeseburger. If you did a blind taste test against In N Out it would be hard to tell the difference. Seemed to be good quality burger patty. Dont let the exterior or neighborhood drive you away

The cashier who took our order had a bit of an attitude when we asked what was in the vegan burgers but may have just been confusion I'm not sure. That said my sister enjoyed the vegan burger and her tea and I got a lavender milkshake which was delicious. There were a ton of milkshake flavors which was awesome. I had the seafood combo and we split an order of battered green beans as well. Couldn't recommend the green beans more they were super yummy and there was enough that I had leftovers to enjoy later too. The decor is very cute and nostalgic and I will never pass up a good classic diner and diner food. Check it out if you're in the area and want some comfort food.

I've walked, drove, skipped and jumped passed Jim Dandy's for years now. I never cared to go in, even though some of my older family members frequent this diner. We drove by today and my boyfriend decided that this is what he wanted... but of course I went to Yelp for advise first. Jim Dandy's basically has that old school diner feel to it without the spirit. You can get a decent burger, hot fries and good milk shakes but the experience will make you second guess your return. No one should ever feel like they aren't wanted, especially a customer! The older Caucasian woman is lifeless and rude, because of her he won't be returning unless it's carryout. With all of that being said he really did enjoy his burger. The presentation was mouth watering and the fries were nice and hot. My advice for this diner is CARRYOUT WITHOUT A DOUBT!!! Happy Yelping...

I tasted the chocolate shake and banana shake. They just tasted like vanilla icecream with flavored syrup. I thought for 3.95 (I think it's only 12 ounces) I was going to get real icecream shakes. Won't be running back here for shakes anytime soon.

Ive wondered about this place for ages, and until the other day, hadnt been able to give it a try. Instead of ordering expensive delivery, my friend and I decided on jim dandy. Phoned my to go order in and headed over. I had no clue when I arrive how many amazing shake flavors they offer. I felt super lame having ordered a chocolate shake. Lesson learned. Ha. It was delicious, dont get me wrong. The burger was good, the house sauce was nice. I will definitely keep this place in mind when im craving a good cheap burger.

Cute little drive-in diner style restaurant. It's right off of Sandy Blvd with neon signs. They have a private parking lot. Pretty easy to get in and out of. My husband likes all the nostalgia inside. Tons of old photos and stuff on the walls. Decent booths inside, feels like an old 50's diner. They've been there since 1937! They have yummy shakes and variety of flavors to chose from...even odd flavors like lavender! Their burger baskets are really good. I prefer the tator puffs, husband likes the onion rings. And we both like the battered green beans! They have a variety of menu options...chicken, fish, soups salads, sandwiches, burgers and sides. They're also open for breakfast! They're open 7am-8pm Monday-Saturday, closed on Sunday. The have a cruise in during the summer and have lots of older cars parked in their lot. There's judging and trophies awarded for different categories of cars too!

Hearthy homestyle food surrounded by a kitsch-y kitchen and 50's aesthetic. Very reasonable prices, but the service is a bit curt at times. Water tastes like tap water, because it is. Still, a fun outing on a Sunday morning, and will keep your kids occupied as they smother you with questions about the toys and joys of your childhood.

I got the cheeseburger and my husband usband got the double bacon cheeseburger with tots and we split a chili cheese dog. The meat was so good! We will definitely be back.

After reading other reviews, I was ready for crazy rude service. I dropped my wife off at the airport and decided to risk it. To my surprise, the service was very helpful. The food on the other hand was below par. I ordered the country breakfast. Propably the worst omelet ever. The gravy was on the sweet side and the rest was thin and tasteless. Maybe the burgers are better, but I wouldn't recommend the breakfast.

The true-to-heart northwest greasy spoon diner. Service has always been nice here and you has the small town burger and shake vibe.

Came here for a milkshake, burger, and fries. We had a Jim Dandy of a time! The strawberry and chocolate milkshakes are just what we expected. Real strawberries and rich chocolate flavor. MMMMMMmmmmmm. The double cheeseburger was juicy, messy, with the real tasty fake kind of cheddar cheese slices. I think I used about 10 napkins. Load up! The fries and the tots are great. The "spicy" fries are actually just regular curly fries. No spicey. I love the booth seating and all the old decor on the walls. They have really interesting news articles from Portland back from the 1930's, car themed decor from the 1950's. Classic, American, burger joint is the best way to describe this place. Tons of food. I was stuffed by the end of the meal.

I've been here before, and it was waayyyy better. now, holy crap, it sucks dirty hairy Taliban balls! ordered Fried Zucchini and a Pastrami on Rye, i showed up and they gave me French Fries instead of Zukes, and the Pastrami was on Wheat bread. and burnt! DO NOT GO HERE, HORRIBLE!!!

Horrible service horrible food I stay at the best western 3 days a week and would rather starve then give this dump my money last straw was trying to buy 30 dollars worth of food and the lady would not accept my 50 dollar bill no sign or nothing saying no 50's I used to choke down the food since not much is around but never again I will go to Elmer's I try supporting small business but hope this place fails. very cool place inside that is why it gets the 1 Star seems dumb not to take a fifty dollar bill on a 30 dollar tab oh well every other place will take my money red Robbins took it and gave me unlimited drink and fries for the same price

Never again ...because I had came in and ordered inside and the lady working was taking along time adding my total. Finally she brought me my receipt and I signed for the total. About 20 min later I get an alert on my phone for my charges not once but twice. So I called your store and the same lady told me she here's that all the time and I needed to call my bank and that it was my problem. I called my bank and yes they confirmed that it was ran thru twice from your restaurant. The people adding and taking payments need to be trained on how to do a transaction and not tell me oh well we are closed the next two days and I wanted to talk to a manager I can call her between the hours of 7-11 but she won't do anything because it's my banks fault . I understand that business and this Covid crap is getting to people but you definitely need to sit down and revisit policies and standards. I work in the area and I will never go to your place and I'll let everyone no that your store has very bad service and don't treat customers with respect.

I will give this place another chance as the employees seem to do a good job and the food was tasty but when I was there, it was like a Video Poker joint that happened to serve food. The clientele was so focused upon the lottery machines that they stood at their table to eat however due to their lack of teeth, food was not always able to stay in their mouths. I get that it is in a challenging location, but as a 6' tall fit man, I couldn't imagine very many women or tamer people enjoying the company! I know they have a motorcycle world connection, I'm not talking about bikers, I have ridden bikes for years and I'm telling you these folks were a detriment to any business! I realize that Video Poker brings In easy money BUT let's weigh four video poker customers who take the place over by their very presence versus the potential business of new people like me looking for a place I can bring/meet friends for a dining experience? Like I said, I'm going to give them another try

I ordered chicken strips and was expecting a big, flakey, real chicken strip and got a oversized chicken nugget instead. For the $8 I spent on this I would expect something a little better. It's not actual chicken at all, it's literally a giant McDonald's chicken nugget. Good but not worth the price and not what is expected.

I haven't had a lot off their menu as I usually am just stopping by while picking up a friend from the nearby transit center. Let's just say the few things I've had, while all junk food, are pretty tasty! Corn dog, fries, jalapeno poppers, they're all delicious! Service there is very unfriendly. They're not even necessarily rude, but I felt more as if my decision to order food was an inconvenience to them, if that makes sense. Plus, the food took almost a half hour to make, considering it's nothing fancy, that's a bit surprising to me.

My mother and husband were there shortly for lunch today. My mother rode the bus over from Portland to meet my husband and had a large bag with her. She is also is recovering from cancer treatments, so her hair is short and her looks ill most of the time. The servers were VERY RUDE to her, treating her as thought she were a transient, and initially would not let her use the restroom. After one server pointed out that she was 'with the cute guy over there', she was allowed to use the restroom, but would not let her take her bag with her. Shame on those servers for not treating my mother with more respect and shame on them for their UNPROFESSIONAL attitudes. As a former restaurant manager, I am embarassed and saddened. Will NEVER go back and will tell anyone who will listen to follow suit.

So many good things to rave about Jim Dandy. Old school burgers, packed full of flavor. The Double cheeseburger is my go to, with or w/o bacon depending on my mood. The fries are fresh and crispy. And the shakes, made with real ice cream and they are thick. The straws dont hold up well because they are paper. So be warned. It's a Portland staple with Portland history on the walls.

I came to this establishment traveling for work Tues, 2-14-17 and was shown no love. I stopped in and walked up to the order counter and ordered a cup of coffee and asked for the restroom key. She said, "We have no public restrooms." I said, "You have no restrooms for customers??" So she said, "If you order food, you can use the restroom." I said, "So I'm not a good enough customer? I don't have time to eat food!!" She said "Shell is a few blocks away" and turned her back. Echoing what the other yelpper said below how they treated her mother, I also was treated like trash. I voiced that I never WOULD return to eat there and left.

Great, classic diner with traditional diner food. Burgers are delicious! My only complaint is they use a tad too much sauce. My wife doesn't like that but I love it. We've tried several of their burgers and sides and have never been disappointed. The milkshakes are also phenomenal with a crazy long list of options. They even have a vegan menu!

Long story of how I ended up here, but I'm glad it turned out this way. I scored a solid cheeseburger for $5.15. Like a for real, large cheeseburger. The place is super kitshy having been there for almost a 100 years. Very family feeling. Large menu with vegan options. It's a greasy spoon so to speak and delightful at that. Not sure when or why I'll end up in this pocket of PDX again, but if I have hungry kids I'll hit it every time. My dad would like it so anyone who appreciates a throwback slice of Americana might as well.

If I could I wouldn't give any star! I have been going to this place for at least 20 years, over the last 10 years it has became a dive the staff are terrible and rude the have no respect for the customers who are paying their paychecks! Today was the last straw I will not spend another penny at this place for any reason. Today I send my daughter in to get to get a fry and ice cream cone she comes back out her ice cream is falling off the cone! I take it back ask for a new one the rude ass lady with her hair in 2 buns on her head snatches it from me and says to bad next time you'll pay for it! I told her she is welcome to give me a new one, instead she makes a new one same situation falling off the side I let her know I wouldn't be back! Before I get to the door the ice cream falls to the floor she laughs I threw the damn cone in the trash and walked out this lady chases me to my car streaming I'm recording your car you are 86 from here! Listen lady after your rude ass mouth I had no intention on coming back. This place used to be the spot the customer service and employees have gone to hell!!

Really good food. Served hot. Small place full of Hot Rod and 50s nostalgia. Amazing mike shakes

Jim Dandy was awesome. I had some oddly named burger with mushrooms, onions, bacon and swiss. It was only $3.65 or so, and it was the best cheap burger I've had from a mom 'n pop shop in a very long while. Only the Dairy King in Empire Colorado compares. this place is chalked full of old memorabilia, and even has a little video poker room in the back with a handful of machines (like a little mini casino, built right in). If you take the time to read the articles framed by the restrooms, this drive in was the site of a riot back in the summer of 1960. Apparently, a couple of cops beat up a couple of deserving douchey liberal hippy idiots, and when their pot smoking inbred neighbors showed up, all hell broke loose. Neat! Anyway, it's a stones throw from the Portland airport, and you can bet that anytime I fly into Portland, I'll be making a pit stop at the Dandy! (Oh yeah, and $1.50 beers!!!)

The 4 star rating is only for the burgers and malts, the rest of the food earns a 3. There's too many varied burger offerings for one category. Is it fare to compare a $10 version on a duck fat brioche bun with foie gras to those offered by Five Guys and Killer Burger, or that middle tier such as McMenamins and Red Coach? Jim Dandy's falls into the old-school definition: delicious malts and hot rods out in the parking lot give you an idea of the style here. I love this place and the ambiance (not the best word choice for this diner) is a big part of it. A cheese burger with fried onions and a fried egg on a non-gluten free bun is the regular order. No sea-salt frozen fries seem very fitting here. Service is as good as expected, nothing over the-top, not rude either. Prices are very reasonable. Others food items are a little hit and miss. If you're looking for a knife and fork for your burger, maybe it was a mistake to go in.

This place looks pretty dumpy and is in a sketchy area, but WOW the burgers were killer. I had the pastrami burger and still dream about it, Wife had onion rings and a Kahlua shake which she wanted to go back for.

We have been on vacation in Portland and gone to many restaurants in the Portland area over the last few days but this was by far the worst experience we have had. We thought it would be a fun historical place to go but the customer service was the worst. I wouldn't go there if you want a pleasant place to eat.

Love the Jim dandy burger here. Cooked to perfection. The service is also awesome. A definite go to during Covid times

Best old fashioned perfect burger in the entire northwest! Malts are the bomb!!! Everything is done right. Been coming here since I was a young girl.

I would give it two stars because the food is decent but all the employees here except the young man have a attitude, talk about customers in the kitchen when they think they can't hear. Example: the lady came to our table to drop off our drinks, we asked her if they she could bring our food out and she stared at us for 30secs gave a nasty look and said you wanna sit outside? We said yes.. she then proceeded to walk away and say "yea sure."

Jim Dandy has great food and classic 50's atmosphere. Great burgers and shakes, everything made fresh daily. Food is real and good for you! Servers and help are all friendly and go way out to please. Quickly becoming my daily food stop.