Port Drive In

Nice small little old school American style diner/park and eat. Has outside seating, car hops, and inside diner. The air must have not been working on the day I came here cause it was HOT inside and out. Service was fast, simple and easy, and very friendly. Large simple menu with non-meat option (I was surprised by this, I didn't order any of it, tho). I tried several different hot dogs and sausages, and all were very good. The patty melt was hands down the best thing I ate here, and that says a lot as everything was really good. The jalapeno poppers were spicy! The cheese curds were great, along with the mozzarella sticks. The waffle fries weren't bad either. If you're in the area and want great burgers/hot dogs, this is the place.

It's a charming rustic-style drive-in. I will say my waitress was not very attentive, and I waited for a long time to be helped and for my tray to be taken, and it was not very busy. I think their food was very tasty and has that craving-filling flavor. I would recommend trying it out if you are in the area.

Fun drive-in experience with friendly and attentive staff and delicious food! We loved the Anchor Burger, the Giant Burger, sweet potato fries and the chocolate malt. They have an extensive menu and a fun cardboard car for kids’ meals and an old school diner cup. $55 for 4 full meals and a malt isn’t bad! Definitely recommend.

This place used to be amazing. I’ve been bragging about it to my boyfriend for years. He’s never been. We went today, it’s been many many years since I’ve been here I got the fish and chips dinner and the breading was so hard I could barely bite into it. The fish was incredibly dry. The fries were old tasting. No flavor to any thing. Everything was over done. We ate inside and there was zero air flow. Our waitress was good and friendly. Won’t be back, sadly. I’ll pay the higher prices at George’s for better food and dining experience.

It took a long time for our food to get in. There were a lot of people inside and outside. Only 1 waitress inside, not sure if she was responsible for both outside and inside... The food was ok. I ordered the swamp water, it sounded interesting and tasted good. Fried clam was just ok. Hot dogs that other people looked amazing and I probably should've ordered that. Kids meal came in a cardboard car thing, pretty cool for the kids. There was also a toy in it. Nice touch.

I've been loving this place for over 50 years! Carly is a very good server. The food is always good. I keep coming back!

Cute lunch spot close to the national park! I ordered an LA street dog woth onion rings and a soda. Everything was piping hot and well prepared. Friend ordered a sandwich and sweet potato fries that were the perfect color. She also ordered the green soda and was pleasantly surprised by it! Great place to stop for a quick bite while in town.

Our first time here! Food was great! Port dog chili cheese dogs were awesome! Frosty mug root beer was da BEST! If you’re near Chesterton it’s worth stopping in! Abby our server was great!

Love this place! Such a fun summer time thing! I have never had a bad time here! Great workers!

Happened upon this place when looking for a bite for lunch and did we luck out - such a cute gem of Americana! Our waitress was great; very attentive and helpful, recommending classic dishes we shouldn't pass up. We did a round of Chicago-style hot dogs, corn fritters, and cheese curd cubes. All was divine, but I am still dreaming of those cheese curds! Also, don't pass up their brewed in-house root beer or milkshakes!

Waitress was very sweet! Brought our Root beer out right away and had a smile on her face. You can tell she enjoyed her job. She came back to check on us too! Dixie dog was really good and fries were fresh! My husband ordered the Anchor burger. He really enjoyed it. Great atmosphere. We highly recommend this place!

Food was so delicious and awesome service. Such a cool place to stop in and grab some food/ice cream. Our carhop was very nice and explained their services. The frosty root beer 10/10 recommend!!

Decent food But we had to wait 1 hour and 45 minutes. just for 2 shakes and 2 Burgers. personally, I would go to the Place across the street That's what we did. Better food and bigger sizes for the same price.But you don't have to wait an hour to get your food.

Stopped here after going to the European Market. Reminds me of a drive-in I used to go to when I was little. My waitress was very friendly and the order came out quick! I had the quarter pounder cheese burger, a small fry, and a small BK root beer. Everything was so good! The burger was juicy and very flavorful. The fries were crispy. The root beer was refreshing! Plus, the prices were very reasonable.

This place is unique drive in where they bring the food to you on a tray and place it on your window. We were looking for Chicago style hot dog and this place has them! They have 40 different shake flavors you can choose from and root beer floats! They have something on their menu under sides called Mouse Ears and I would say that's more of a desert- so good. Service was good and food came out fast. You can sit in your car and eat or they do have an inside eating area.

Great mushroom burger and patty melt. Enjoyed sitting at the picnic table. Service by Jaycee was excellent! i always try to go here when I'm in town during the summer.

The Port Drive In is the only way to complete a trip to the Indiana Dunes. Located in Chesterton, IN only an 1.5 hour drive or away from #Chicago this 1950s mainstay is a callback to a bygone area of a drive in burger and hot dog joint. Get homemade root beer floats or Green River soda to compliment your meal. Burgers are made to order with fresh crinkle fries. The service is great with waiters that are super friendly teenagers. Great for families , eating solo, or maybe even a late night date. We are inside but many people use the drive in with the carhop on their window! #driveins #burger #indiana #throwback

Been going here the past 3 summers after the beach, food quality has never disappointed or changed. food is always hot and made to order, and they have some of the best waffle fries I've ever had, not to mention their very extensive menu. waitresses take your order within 1 minute of you parking, and the building has a very cool, nostalgic vibe to it. 10/10 would (and will) definitely eat here again!

Burgers fries and a malt shake. This hit the spot, quickly made also. Service was great.

We waited for almost an hour. She didn't ring in one of our food items, making us wait extra time for. and had us wait over 20 minutes after we got our food to bring out a cup of cheese.

Been going to the port since I was a kid. Would take my girls often throughout the summer season. But we always went after school on the first day of school and last day of school. As adults they still love the port.

Great service! A very tasty chicken wrap sandwich. Very good onion rings too! Hubs had 2 chili dogs and fries. But our main reason for driving to Chesterton is the frosty mugs of root beer! Always excellent! We go for lunch about once a week! Try it!

Good food. Good root beer. Also tried a "swamp water". We were all glad we stopped in.

Amazing food and service. Ambiance is great. We have never been to a drive in before and this was a great first experience. The root beer is really good! Will definitely be back next time we're in town.

Amazing Icon of The Dunes. Eat here and be happy. You can dine in your car and sip cold home made root beer from an iced mug. The hot dogs are delish and the salad great. (a rarity in NW Indiana!) Do yourself a favor and go here!

We decided to stop here for ice cream after having dinner at Octave Grill which is down the street. The husband ordered a Root Beer and strawberry shake. I ordered a Butterscotch sundae. We enjoyed the old fashioned drive-in atmosphere-very retro. The service was friendly and the food was great!

An old school drive in that serves typical diner food. We just came here for dessert. I had the root beer float which was good. Everyone else got mixes and sundaes which everyone joined. The staff were friendly and quick.

A great little drive in. I grew up with a B&K. Food was very good, I would definitely be back.

Love this drive in! Best giant pork tenderloin ever! Really nice owner. Closed for the winter. See you next year!

My family just moved to the area and couldn't be happier to have discovered this Chesterton institution. So good! And even better, Port's might have been one of the best vegetarian meals I've had in quite some time. They offer 3 different veggie burgers and even a plant-based frankfurter. I went with the veggie dog and my wife had the Mexican bean burger. Both were very good. Her burger won out though. So delicious! Admittedly it's not vegan with the nacho cheese added, but it was so worth cheating a bit. The Tater tots side was also really good. Of course the root beer was great! Gotta love those frosty mugs! And do NOT skip the deep-fried PBJ! I made it my dessert. They take an uncrustable PBJ, deep fry it, and then coat it in cinnamon sugar. OMG! It was amazing. We will definitely be back... a lot.

Outstanding classic drive in. 12 people in our party served perfectly. Food A+ service A+ ambiance B+ !Kids meals, grilled cheese, dogs, burgers fries all excellent. Smart move to prepare and serve all the kids meals first. Served in race car boxes. "Awesome!"9

We recently road-tripped our way to this area to visit Indiana Dunes National Park for a couple days. We stumbled on Port Drive-In on our way in to check out the cute little artsy town of Chesterton. Port Drive-In is truly a thing out of the vintage past. Probably because it has actually been around for that long! This is an original carhop service restaurant, still in operation. Pull into a spot, and a friendly server will bring paper menus to your car. The menu has a variety of burgers, dogs, sandwiches, and sides, milkshakes, sodas and sweet treats, with several unique offerings. Our vegan daughter was accommodated with a Beyond burger option; THANKS to Port for catering to the vegans! The rest of our fam' tried a spread of different burgers and dogs. Our son was a hungry guy on this night, and had the 1-lb. footlong dog that was as HUGE as it sounds! The hubbs also had some fried clams, and fried mouse ears (fried dough), both greasy, hot and tasty! The ice cream here was just okay, a bit too icy-ice-milk-rough, not creamy enough. But that was more than made up for by the HOMEMADE ROOT BEER IN A FROSTY GLASS MUG! You heard right, they make the root beer homemade on site! And it was creamy, potent with root beer flavor, and entirely fizzy-refreshing! Your eats are either delivered to your car to hang from a window tray so you can eat in-car, or there are several picnic tables out back if you prefer to dine outside. Plus prices here are CHEAP! A large frosty mug root beer was two bucks! Most of the burgers and dogs are $4 or less! Sides are even less! If you like an old-time'y burgers-and-dogs soda-shop vibe, you will like Port Drive-In! We are back home in Buffalo NY now, but I am already missing Port Drive-In, and hope to make it back again someday! :-D

Fun, old school atmosphere. Fast service. A TON of food and dessert options! Would definitely eat here again if we're ever passing through!

Amazing food, service, and ambiance. The food is very good and they have a wide range of food available. The service is amazing and everyone there is very nice. The ambiance is very good and makes it feel like a true drive-thru! 10/10

You can tell this place has been around a long time, they really haven't done much remodeling. But still it's the only drive in around. The food is decent and reasonably priced. So if you wan't to do something different, it's a cool place to try.

This place is the perfect little rest stop while driving through Chesterton. It's that quick "fair food" type of restaurant with amazing staff and a lot of great options for treats. Definitely makes you feel like you took a trip in the past. This place is a great classic, and don't forget to get yourself a mug of root beer!

The Port has great veggie burgers (two different kinds!), tasty miscellaneous fried things, and awesome homemade root beer. They've got a pretty long menu that also includes burgers, hot dogs, shrimp, fish, etc. I vaguely remember going inside once a long time ago and it was kind of depressing. Now we always do the drive up (car hop service) or sit at a picnic table. That's really what makes this place special (along with the root beer). As another reviewer pointed out, the food isn't really going to blow you away. There's just something about The Port, maybe sitting in my truck with a frosty mug of root beer on a beautiful summer evening, that makes it worthy of four stars.

We were visiting from out of town. Based on what we ordered - veggie burger - no go for us. veggie basket , fried cauliflower, zucchini and mushrooms - very good. home made diet root beer - Wonderful! The best diet root beer I've ever had. It was so icy cold and refreshing. If you park underneath the covering, a car hop will come and take your order and bring it out to you in your car. Based on 2 good food choices and one not so good choice, I rate it a 3 star.

This place may not have the greatest food but you come for the atmosphere. A carhop comes to your car with a menu and delivers your food to you. Yes you can order at a window and eat on a picnic bench outside but part of the fun for the kids is the carhop bringing you your food. The home made root beer is short on flavor but the swamp water is delicious. Don't be fooled by the sound of the gross combo, for some reason it tastes really good. The fries are standard and Italian beef and burgers are under par BUT again, the atmosphere is awesome on a summer night. Oh and the menu is vast, everyone will find something they'll eat. Don't pass on this experience. ALSO...please don't forget to tip the carhops.

Too long of a wait at the burger place down the street lead us here. It was like stepping back in time. Server was super friendly and told us the food wouldn't be long at all. We waited less than ten minutes and she gave us an extra root beer for the wait. Burgers are typical diner style - just how we like them! The admiral is a big burger and I ordered with everything except onion. So good. Tots and fries were typical diner style too. We tried the mouse ears and the powdered sugar ones reminded me of a funnel cake at the fair. We would definitely come back here if we are in town again!!

We have been coming to this place for years after visiting the shoreline. We adore it. Don't go expecting gourmet; expect greasy spoon diner feel food. It's charming and kitschy and they just started accepting credit cards!! They have a slightly old school juke box where you can play all the early 2000's hits. They have delicious root beer in frosty mugs. Service is friendly and generally swift. Overall: worth a visit.

Please try the Anchor burger it was sooooo good, the root beer too is delicious! It's house made. Also, we got the jalapeño poppers and corn nuggets. Super yummy! I feel like they were homemade...not sure but so good too! The staff was wonderful as well! Great spot near the dunes!

Love the old school feel of this drive-in. My husband says they make a good burger and I appreciate the vegetarian burger options. The homemade root beer in the frosty mug is good too.

The perfect setting for nostalgia and brings back memories for so many from this wonderful town of Chesterton...no visit can be without this long standing and proudly preserved hangout. Delicious food and terrific root beer served by local teens as carhops or sit down servers. Friendly and pleasant folks both working and grubbing.

Confusing. The pole sign says "B.K." the building sign says "The Post" It looks like an old A+W. You pull in to parking spaces and can decide to go in and order or have someone come to your car to take the order. They're not on roller skates and there aren't speaker boxes to call in orders. The menus are paper and have seen better days. Prices have been changed by crossing them out and adding new. Basic fast food items of hotdogs and burgers. Nostalgic but nothing really special.

Can you please update your hours? Went there at 8pm and was told hours change during the school year (which hasn't started yet). Had a group of people who wanted your shakes and left ver disappointed. Thanks

Looked like everything my friends had was tasty-but no gluten free options on the menu whatsoever.

Good comfort food and very reasonable prices! My family enjoyed and we would come back, for sure.

I'm a sucker for old-timey things. This is doubly so if they are still functional and maintained. Port Drive In is like a blast from the past, but with vegetarian options on the menu and no ill-executed costumes. Somehow, despite the lack of meat, I still got the wonderful "drippy patty from a burger stand" sensation that I remember from the dives where my dad used to take me to show me what he liked to eat when he was a kid. Priceless! Also, they are authentically cash-only. No plastic, people. Do you like soda? Port Drive In is like a soda mecca of the tri-state area. Some of it is made on-site. Some of it is mad scientist-style, like when you and your friends messed around in the kitchen during sleep-overs, but actually tasty. Some of it is served in big icy mugs. Plus, they have phosphates! Are you too tired to leave your car after hiking the dunes? This is just a short drive from the state park, and as soon as you park, a friendly server will be at your window, asking you if you need a menu and clarifying the terms of the coupons the park gives to out of state visitors. I thought we'd have to wait a bit for service, but no! I was actually confused when our server approached, thinking she confused us with another car and was here to drop off a check. No, she was for us! Despite the intense heat, she was friendly and patient with our questions ("What the heck are bosco sticks? What is a lily pad?") and answered them well. Then, we got to eat in our car. I'd say the whole experience took about 15 minutes, but it didn't feel like "fast food." I look forward to returning the next time I'm in Indiana and trying another gem from the soda fountain.

After a year of living in the Chesterton area and a year of several stops to The Port, I have to add another star to my review. We've had consistently good service every visit. What I took for a dive before, I now appreciate for its classic, retro feeling. The food is not amazing, let's not tip-toe around that, but it is basic diner food with a great deal of options (and cheap to boot). The root beer is great too!! We have bought it by the gallon on more than one occasion. Decent food, good service, good atmosphere... In conclusion I throw away all the pretentiousness of my last review and embrace the Port for what it is. Recommended!

Love the root beer in frost mugs! Everything we've tried is delish! Grilled chicken wrap was awesome and the servers are a delight!

I'm not going to lie-we were very excited to be going to an old-school drive-in diner (of sorts). We were not disappointed. Despite it being a very hot day, the overhead shelter provided shade that kept us cool as we waited for our order. Our server, Kate, was kind, friendly, and quick to get us anything we might need. The burgers and onion rings were good, while the stars of the show were the french fries and the oh-so-refreshing, icy-cold root beer. Such a relaxing, lovely respite...we really enjoyed our visit.

Right off the bat I subtract stars for not accepting cards and not having a convenient atm inside. Drive over to the speedway (get charged atm fee and bank fee) and get money then come back. Food is pretty good. Had an admiral that was tasty. Corn nuggets are awesome. Waffle fries also good but pricey for what you get. Chili on dogs was good, dogs themselves were average. This particular day the soda fountain was down. The server did tell us ahead of time it was cash only - "we're so old fashioned, we don't even have a computer". Here's a tip to the owners of this establishment: jump on into the 21st century. One can accept cards without a pos system. Get an ipad for pete's sake.

Awesome Gem in downtown Chesterton. It is your classic root beer stand, OK? We loved it. Service was fast and friendly. Food and treats were awesome! Feeling nostalgic? Check this place out!!

Ok I hate giving this 2 stars. The rootbeer is awesome. The food tasted good. However the service very slow. We went inside at lunchtime only 1 other table with the people already served and 1 person at window, it still took almost 10 minutes for service. We even asked the other people if we had to order at window. Also I ordered a giant tenderloin. Everyone from Indiana know what that means. Usually a sandwich as big as a plate. Hence the word "giant". I asked for everything no lettuce. What I received was a pork fritter with just mayo. For $6 I could of bought a couple of boxes if mr. Fritters and deep fried my own. It was pretty disappointing and deceptive of what I got.

Great burgers, plentiful tasty fries, and delicious COLD root beer! You can even buy it by the gallon.

Have been back several times since initial review. The place has aight food for the price and you pretty much know what your getting ahead of time. It's not gonna win any awards, but still a classic drive-up n dine in the car spot.