I've been going to this place since I was a kid. Burger, curly fries, milk shake. I don't care how many calories it is -- it's a splurge and it's good.
I know some people love their ice cream cones. Â Yes, I've had my share but I'm not a big ice cream person (put it in my shake with chocolate, please).
Maybe it's the tradition or the mythology but there is something about those burgers. The not-so-secret sauce. You have to get a shake to go with it. And then the curly fries balance everything out. That's what I tell myself.
I don't get to Cascade Locks much anymore but you better believe that first thing I do is pull into the drive-in and get this holy trinity.
For faster service, call ahead. We used to have them on speed dial (back in the day), no joke. Be patient. Good food takes time.
We have been going here for 18 years and have never tried the food. Â The ice cream cones with and without the "Flavor Burst" are so good we never can hold anything else. Â Order the small; it is plenty. Â We drive out from Hillsboro just to watch the river and eat ice cream. Â Love it!
Review Source:OMG. I never seen an ice cream like the one I had from this place. It looks good and it taste even better! It was a small joint that you just pass by when you're around cascade locks...but once you see it, you know it's a good place because people are willing to stop, stand in a long line and get an ice cream or the burgers they sell.
So if you ever visit Cascade locks in Oregon...you should stop by here and get an ice cream...or two.
It's hard to find a space to park though!
We ate here around 11:50 am on a weekday. Â I was worried about the wait time in the drive thru, but there were no other cars when we were there. Â The chocolate malt was thick and delicious. Â The Fishwich sandwich was huge. Â I'm used to McDonald's version. Â The large fries is more than enough for 2 people. Â The corn dog crust is way better than Sonic's. Â For our family of 3 to eat, it was just under $20. Â Definitely eat here for a delicious burger and no tax!!! Â Its worth the $1 toll bridge charge to cross over here from the WA side.
Review Source:While on vacation from OH, the next stop in the Columbia River gorge area was Cascade Locks, a small town near the Bridge of the Gods. Â We weren't there for the bridge or the locks, but to go to the East Wind - a little walk up eatery I read about in Wild! Â They have good & cheap soft serve, so I had to try the $2 cone. Â It was good & worth it. Â We have lots of these type places in OH.
Review Source:Well, now I know the name of this place. Â Wasn't too difficult to find on here.
It was the continuation of my birthday. Â The gf was taking me out of town to the Maryhill Winery (review coming next) for a concert. Â On our drive out to Goldendale she came up with the idea to stop for "creamies". Â I did not know what a creamy was, but I certainly liked the sound of it. Â A creamy to her (she is originally from Vermont) is a soft serve cone. Â I love soft serve ice cream and on a late summer weekend day there was almost nothing that sounded better than that.
We took the exit for Cascade Locks off of 84 and within a minute we were at the East Wind Drive-In, a place I have passed many times, but never had stopped at. Â The only reason I probably never stopped there is because the lines were always so big. Â That is a good thing. Â Means this place is popular and their product is probably pretty good. Â Good in a Drive-In kind of way which to me isn't a bad thing.
We waited for about 15 minutes, but once up to the front we each ordered a small chocolate/vanilla swirl cone. Â The small is not small at all. Â At only $2 this is a real steal. Â The gf told me a friend of hers ordered a large once and it was monstrous. Â This small is more than enough and it was super good.
Need to come back to try some of the food. Â I'm told this place is open year round. Â Not sure if that is true, but if it is, I will be back sooner than later.
We find ourselves here again, while driving through the gorge. We've been here several times, yet never reviewed it properly.
Initially, my thought was to give it a 3-Star, due to the long drive through lines and no real drive through functionality whatsoever. You dont order at mic, there's no time for your food to be prepped out while your progressing to the window - you actually order at the window to a person and wait for your goodies there - not the most efficient way of running a drive-through.
Good thing for them, they serve huge ice cream cones and have tons of flavors for a decent price. Â We cant complain about that and we usually get cups for the kids to split there ice-cream, as it usually falls over by the time they're halfway through it.
Definitely worth a stop of your passing through.
I've heard of this elusive ice cream store in Cascade Locks before, but finally the stars aligned so we could finally meet face to face. And I'll tell you what, it didn't disappoint.
Here's the thing not to expect: anything spectacular. It's good ole fashioned ice cream and shakes that are reasonably priced for a tourist stop. They have deep fried foods and lattes too. It's a tourist stop, but its great for kids and families and I'm glad it was there!
Seriously friendly service too - and fast. Although there's pretty much a consistent line, they won't keep you waiting long.
I had a Strawberry Milkshake that had real fruit in it and was creamy and awesome. My kids tried the ice cream cones and loved 'em. If I'm in the area again and don't mind waiting in line, I'll definitely stop in.
I have been visiting this must-stop-&-eat place long before it was called East Wind drive in. Â In summer, there is ALWAYS a line on weekends.
Used to be called Marie's Drive In. Â They had closed for several months a few years ago, and when they reopened, it was renamed the East Wind Drive In. Â I asked what happened to Marie, had she passed away? Â No, the young cone maker didn't even know why it was ever named Marie's Drive In in the first place (probably too young to know, or care) but he said that the East Winds had blows the old sign down, so they called it the East Wind Drive In. Â I thought that was funny.
5 stars for the swirl cones every time. Â My favorite is the chocolate/vanilla swirl (small is about 12 inches tall!), but they have other flavors too. The grilled fare is okay but convenient, as there isn't much else in Cascade Locks.
I took my (then) teenaged son to eat here about 5 years ago. He got a bacon cheeseburger and a milkshake, and absolutely loved what he had to eat.
In fact, when we were driving through the area again last week, he remarked, "HEY, that's the place with the killer bacon burger, I HAVE to stop and get another one!"
We placed our order for a bacon cheeseburger, a chicken sandwich, and a bag of tater tots.
Everything was well prepared and delicious. My son was in burger-euphoria, his eyes closed, his head leaned back, and all he could say was, "mmmmmmmmmmmm". Â
I'd call that a win. :-)
The service was great. Even though I could hear a couple of teenaged guys laughing and carrying on inside, our server was totally professional at the window.
I would give them 5 stars but the tots were a little bit too soft. Make 'em crispy next time, and I'll add another star, guys!
A hot Labor Day weekend and after driving around the fruit loop and stopping to get pears and other goodies that are good for you we decided to stop at East wind and get a monster cone. Â We have been doing this for many many years.
We pull up you see many others had the same idea. At least 20 in line outside and 5 cars ahead in the drive thru. No brainer hit the drive thru. 20 minutes later I order two big swirls it's just damn delicious good soft serve and it's what 80% of those waiting are going to get. Â
They also do a mean burger but I don't care if I just ate a half hour ago I need to stop and get my soft serve and I normally don't care for the stuff. All I know is it's good and huge and worth the wait but eat it fast or you will have about a pound of soft serve going down your arm.
A perfect day on the river includes a bacon cheese burger and an ice cream cone from these guys. Its literally right next to a very well kept park which has picnic tables (covered and uncovered) and an amazing view of the river. I get the small chocolate & vanilla swirl cone which I would consider a large anywhere else. A large icecream cone is really like an icecream tower of pisa and a challenge to keep from dripping down your arm. They have tons of flavor add ons to the icecream such as strawberry or blue goo. Floats, milkshakes, they got them! They have coffee and breakfast stuff as well. They have a big menu with lots of options. They do accept credit cards but I would recommend bringing cash. A must if you are in the area!
Review Source:Hey this is a great place! It is very small and old in appearance (which is ok by me--I prefer local establishments anyway), but the food is reasonably priced and very good! I bought my daughter a "small" ice cream cone and it was what other places would call "large"! I saw someone else buy a "large" and it must have been two feet above the cone! Ya gotta eat that one very fast! They serve Hood River Coffee, which is an excellent coffee, and only a dollar for the small and $1.50 for a large cup! The service was mostly good (except for the one employee who moved the tip jar away from me--I think he thought my four year old and I were going to steal his tips). Another employee however was very friendly and very helpful. He made up for the bad service from the other. So if you are cruising on I-84 leading away from or to Portland, take a quick stop on Hwy 30 in Cascade Locks. It's worth the slight detour! Â I've been there twice and I WILL go back! Be sure and check out the artsy sign on the outside by the door. It's a nice piece of art.
Review Source:East Wind Drive In has great burgers and ice cream. The flavor burst are good. It tends to get packed, which makes the high demanded ice cream to be slightly soft. its best to order in a cup.
desert prices are great. For the rest of the food it can get spendy.
Major flaw is the amount of time it takes to order, and the amount of time you wait. There is nothing else like fast food there either.
Decent burgers, gluttonously-proportioned ice cream cones, terrible service, and limited seating.
There were three different teenagers working here who were neither fast nor friendly. Â The food was fine, especially the onion rings, but the only place we could eat was outside in the ridiculous wind.
I won't go out of my way to stop here again. Â It's nothing special.
I have been going to this place with my family for years after hikes in the gorge. The blackberry milkshake is definitely the best milkshake ever, possibly the best single piece of food ever. Burgers are pretty good, as are the onion rings. But the milkshake is the reason to go (but watch out for the flies)
Review Source:FANTASMIC!
This place has great burgers for cheap prices, I couldn't elaborate on the rest of the menu but they definitely have fries and chicken sandwiches with a host of other fried foods that are definitely cooked on the spot (doesn't mean the chicken is not frozen!).
However, it can get a little spendy when you add fries or a drink and you may disappointed with the level of fizz in your *ahem* pepsi, yes, no Coca Cola at this 'drive in'. Â
It also has a sit down bar on the inside and plenty of parking in front, back and on side that accommodates larger vehicles/ caravans very well. Â The service wasn't amazing but a great lean beef patty burger with all the crisp dressings on a toasted bun below five or four bucks tasted pretty delicious after miles of hiking which is abundant in the area. Â
Definitely recommend a stop if not a stop every time, they also have milkshakes and ice cream.
Let's preface this by saying that we drove through Cascade Locks looking for a place to eat, and this is what we found. Â I mean, this was it. Â Like, literally. Â This was the ONLY place there that served food from what we could tell.
We were looking for some substantial pre-hiking grub, and we pretty much found it.  It was one of those places that when you are starving, it  tastes amazing.  However, it's not much to write home about otherwise.  Still, oddly good in a comfort food kinda way.  Pretty much just your standard locally owned Mom & Pops hamburger joint with a few other choices like grilled cheese and BLTs.
I had a chicken sandwich which was a crispy fried pressed patty served on a large hamburger bun with mayo, shredded lettuce, tomato, and the slice of cheese I added. Â It came out nice and hot and I was satisfied.
My brother ordered a double cheeseburger which came on the same type of bun with an adequate amount of the suspiciously delicious same kind of processed cheese you'd find on an Egg McMuffin. Â Both of us got tater tots.
There's several picnic benches available to utilize and the staff is friendly enough - the only real downside was the fairly long wait and the fact that the drive through line was blowing their exhaust on our table...
Go here because you are hungry and expect the staple - not the spectacular - and you will not be disappointed.
We visited this popular hamburger stand on a weekend around lunch. Â I've always wanted to try it as there is usually a line, and let's face it - there aren't many other options in Cascade Locks. Â This is not "fast food" by any stretch of the imagination - the total time from standing in line to getting our food was 18 minutes.
Chomping down on a double cheeseburger while sitting in their outdoor seating, I noted that the taste was reminiscent of a Big Mac. Â Even with hockey-puck patties and processed cheese, it was still a notch better.
Their chicken sandwich was put together with a mass-produced breaded chicken breast. Boring.
Unfortunately, their fries are limp, tasteless and soggy (inferior to McDonald's). Â I'd definitely recommend going with the deep-fried tater tots (equivalent quality to bar food) if you are looking for additional fatty starch to compliment your meal.
I wonder about these five star reviews - these burgers can't even hold a candle to an In-N-Out double-double. Â Perhaps I should try the soft-serve next time.
Take a super fresh bun, add fresh produce and then place a nasty piece of old dirty shoe leather and call it a hamburger! Seriously? Yes, the fries were "ok" and the ice cream is slightly above average but the meal itself was disgraceful. I find it hard to believe this place ever got a 5 star review. The hamburger patties here make the frozen crap they sell at Costco look like grade A prime beef. Eek! Me thinks "hell no"
Review Source:There is something about a soft serve cone that brings back all the joys of childhood. Friends recommended it ages ago, but I wasn't sure if I'd be able to find it. All you need to do is "look for the penguin" just before you get to the Bridge of the Gods.
What sets them apart from your average drive-in is the 'flavor burst' of syrup swirled into your soft serve cone. Â A small is what I would consider a large at most places. They also have shakes, malts and sundaes, but seriously, just stick to the soft serve.
The East Wind Drive-In has been a family favorite for many years everytime we finish a hike that has us driving through the Gorge. Â There were times when I was not in the mood to go on a hike, yet thinking of the delicious, creamy milkshake I would receive afterwards made the hike much more tempting. Â
We all typically get a milkshake from butterscotch to blackberry, yet as one girl wrote below, as children, my brothers and I were always amazed at how tall they could make the ice cream on top of the cone. Â Event with the amount of ice cream, I have always stuck to the milkshake. Â No matter what ice cream treat you purchase, it will not disappoint. Â After a hike, or simply touring the beautiful Gorge, make sure your trip includes a stop at the East Wind Drive-In.
I was attracted to their neon penguin with an ice cream cone sign like a moth to a bug zapper. Nothing in this world could have stopped me from turning in to this place. If the sign isn't enough to make you pull over than the line of 20 people outside will. If that many people are waiting in line, then you KNOW there is something good going on.
This place is your typical drive in. Every thing is prepackaged and dumped into the fryer. (Your mouth is watering already, no?!) The high light of our meal was what the kid ordered. She got a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. They should have called it "Grilled Ham Steak & Cheese". They just a nice thick slice of ham in that bad boy. Good thing I asked her for a bite once I notice what she had, because the kid ate the whole damn thing! And this upset me! She never eats all of her food and I always get to have the left overs (if its good). She didn't even save me the finial bite! What a little butthole!
Anywho... As you're eating you'll start to notice that no one else is really ordering food. They're all ordering ice cream. Delicious, cold and sticky hand making soft serve ice cream cones! Sure, they have the normal vanilla, chocolate and swirl soft serve, but they also have different flavored soft serve. If you order a flavored cone you'll get vanilla soft serve with a ribbon of flavored syrup in it. They have flavors like black cherry, butterscotch, blue goo, ect... Â So good! Be careful if you order a large cone. I over heard one of the servers telling his customer it is over a pound of ice cream.
If you're going to Multnomah Falls, Bonneville Dam, the fish hatchery, Beacon Rock or anything else in the gorge on a summer day, then you MUST stop here for ice cream.
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