Snappy's
Restaurant · Eastland Heights ·
Offbeat drive-through burger joint with drive-in movies
Offbeat drive-through burger joint with drive-in movies
"Snappy’s isn’t just a burger joint — it’s a retro drive-in with a side of feature films. Owner Jon Basso (of Heart Attack Grill fame) created this off-Strip spot as a showcase for movies projected on a massive 20-by-35-foot screen that stays bright and clear even in broad daylight. Grab a fast-casual meal — juicy burgers, melty grilled cheeses, super buttery popcorn, nachos, and candy bars — and take your food to go. Or stay in the car, tune the radio to a dedicated station, and catch the movie soundtrack for showings like Pulp Fiction and Monsters, Inc." - Janna Karel
"Snappy’s opened just before COVID-19 shut down restaurants in Portland. The restaurant, a tiny shop with bodega vibes squeezed between Kinboshi Ramen and Nong’s Khao Man Gai, focuses on nailing a few diner staples, like a turkey club, tuna melt, patty melt, and chicken salad. However, the real draw is its take on a hot beef and cheddar, a delightfully sloppy pile of au jus dipped and griddled roast beef, cheddar, horseradish cream, and both griddled and fried onions. All the necessary sides — including Utz crab chips — are also available." - Alex Frane
"Opened by Jon Basso as a UFO-themed drive-in/drive-thru, this venue pairs a short, retro-focused burger menu with sci-fi short films projected on an outdoor screen; diners tune their radios to 94.3 FM for the audio, and the lot is decorated with kitschy 1960s movie posters. Concession offerings include hot buttered popcorn, full-size candy bars, shaved ice, and Coca-Cola and Pepsi products, while playful touches—accepting orders in Klingon and selling tin-foil hats touted to block “unauthorized government cerebral scanning”—underscore the campy, novelty-driven vibe. It is open daily from 10 a.m. until 2 a.m." - Susan Stapleton
"Conceived as a combined drive‑thru burger stand and drive‑in movie experience, this half‑acre site near an entrance to Route 95 pairs retro, fast‑casual food with outdoor sci‑fi screenings. Customers can order Angus burgers on toasted buns dressed with the house sauce, alongside classic drive‑in treats—hot‑buttered popcorn, candy bars, and sugar‑cane sodas served in glass bottles—and then park facing the large outdoor screen, tune to 94.3 FM, and watch a short film while they eat. The property features eye‑catching signage by Falcon Signs & Designs and is decorated with kitschy 1960s movie posters; the operator, Jon Basso, leans into theatrical marketing (accepting orders in Klingon and handing out tin‑foil hats to block “unauthorized government cerebral scanning”) to create a playful, off‑the‑wall vibe. Original plans targeted long daily hours, but final opening details and the full menu were still pending." - Bradley Martin
"Created by Jon Basso, this planned half-acre burger drive-thru combined with a retro outdoor drive-in movie theater blends 1950s style with a futuristic, dystopian sci‑fi theme. Located at 101 N. Decatur Blvd., the concept lets customers order at the drive-thru, park, and watch vintage horror and science-fiction films on a large outdoor screen; patrons can even opt to place orders in Klingon. The team has released video footage to reassure skeptics that construction is underway, showing modular kitchen “cube” structures being built in Henderson, and the project has aimed for a summer debut. The menu centers on an Angus burger cooked on a flat griddle with vine‑ripened tomatoes, hand‑leafed lettuce, American cheese, freshly sliced onions and the restaurant’s signature sauce on a toasted bun, alongside classic concessions like popcorn, candy and sugar‑cane soda served in real glass bottles." - Bradley Martin