Stopped in here at the recommendation of a local. The restaurant is clean and the prices are very reasonable but the food and service is slightly better than okay. I did try the cheese fries and they were good in a nostalgic "I used to eat this when I was a kid" kind of way. There are not a lot of restaurants in the area and this place is definitely better than the McDonald's across the street. If I was in the area and really hungry I would stop in again.
Review Source:The Polk-a-dot is a nice change of pace from the national chains. The food is usually good, just inconsistent.
I like the chili cheese dogs, but more often than not, the hot dogs are served at room temperature.
Also, this past weekend, we ordered two small shakes that were served to us only half full. I'd noticed they felt light, but didn't think to take off the lids to look until we'd driven away. The shakes tasted fine, but we felt so cheated!
I will never go back into this place, worse food I have ever had. All 3 of us threw out our food after taking about 2 bites, would rather eat at McDonalds. On top of it the workers are crabby and rude. The only good thing about this place is the decorations. Â I would not of even given this place 1 star.
Review Source:On my drive down Route 66 I stopped here for lunch. The food was okay. I didn't leave disappointed, but nothing really stood out. Â
The service was good. It definitely has that 50's style feel to it. Well, I assume it does, I wasn't around in the 50's and the closest thing I can compare it to is Lou's Cafe in Back to the Future.
There are statues of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Betty Boop outside and lots of old pictures on the wall.
If this was all you were used to it would be a great place to eat. If you are traveling down Route 66, stop in and check it out. If you are from Chicago and looking for a mind-blowing hot dog... don't set your expectations that high.
This is one of those places that is nice to visit if you are driving by, but to make a special trip to go here is a waste of time. I came here based upon the best fried chicken thread on this site. First of all by no means is their fried chicken the best I ever had like someone said, but it is acceptable. The sides however were nasty, the mashed potatoes were fake flake potatoes out of a box and the cole slaw had no flavor, the roll was real good though. My husband had a poorboy that was a real nice large size, but will we be going  back anytime soon? Hardly. The one thing this place has going for it is the Hollywood decor and memorabilia, which is fun to look at. Also, don't expect drive in service like pulling the car up and having the waitress come outside because they don't do that here, so this place really isn't a drive in afterall, but a cute replica of one.
Review Source:This place is great! Â The food is tasty, the price is right, and the atmosphere is inviting. Â There were 4 of us for dinner on Black Friday and we ordered a variety of items - italian beef, cheese fries, fish, etc. Â Everything was cooked well and tasted great.
The only downside is it was kind of busy (probably because it was a Friday night) and the food took a little longer than I would expect it normally does. Â But my sister was so impressed, she couldn't stop thinking about it, and took the 25-minute drive back the next day to eat there again!
I have to admit, I was duped. Â I was marooned in Braidwood for a couple days and admittedly didn't have high hopes for the food they're serving in town. Â But then I spotted the polk-a-dot drive-in that's been there for some 50 years and I figured there was a chance I could actually sample some local flavor. Â Sadly that flavor was straight from a food service truck.
The interior looks like a scene from Disneyworld. Â The walls are covered in 1950's memorabilia (somehow I doubt that's how they decorated back when they opened up in the 1950's) and they're playing rock and roll music. Â The tables even have jukeboxes on them, ok, corny, but at least they're committed to the schtick.
I got a burger, a chilli dog, and an order of onion rings. Â The burger was the best of the bunch. Â Frozen patty, soft bread, sweet, jarred pickles, topped with ketchup and mustard. Â Would I rather have gone to the McD's across the street for a burger? Â Probably not. Â The chilli dog is made "Chicago style," but they forgot one big thing, Chicago dogs are made with Vienna beef hot dogs, not the twilight-zone white franks that taste microwaved. Â Really, this is as bad as a hot dog could be and the chilli tasted like it was out of can. Â The rings were fine. Â At least they're fried to order even if they came from a big bag of frozen rings. Â I had the distinct pleasure of watching them fill up the milkshake machine with a giant bag of white liquid. Â Oof. Â Glad I didn't spring for a malt.
I was hoping for a mom-and-pop atmosphere with classic american junk food made to order and with care. Â The kind of thing that usually makes a place worth keeping around for 50 years. Â What I got was cafeteria quality food served with a side of plastic, 1950's nostalgia. Â It's kind of fun when you walk in, but not so much when you walk out.
OK,hands down, with atmosphere, this place is great. Â From the old drive in architecture, to the location on Old Rt 66, the drive in does good on atmosphere. Â
However, this is a restaurant, and in the food category, it falls flat. Â We expected home made food, made from recipes passed down from 1956.(The sign claims they've been open that long). Â Unfortunately, the food was obviously typical SYSCO type factory food. Â The problem is, the burgers and fries tasted exactly like any other restaurant that depends on a factory for food instead of good old hard work.
When ordering, I was torn between onion rings and chili cheese fries. Â I asked the teenage order taker for advice and she said she loved the chili cheese fries. Â I was not so amorous toward them. Â Typical frozen fries, canned chili and canned cheese. Meh- Â I had to laugh when leaving we saw a sign that said "Famous for Chili Cheese Fries"
Elvis has NOT left the building, at least not at the Polk-A-Dot Drive In in Braidwood. His spirit thrives here among memorabilia such as a full size statue and a women's restroom decked floor to ceiling (literally) with photos, drawings and posters of the King.
Christopher checked out the men's room and reported it to be a shrine to Marilyn Monroe. One long wall of the Drive-in is adorned with framed photos of television icons of the 1950's, including Superman, The Three Stooges and Howdy Doody. The decor is totally 50's in all it's glory. They even have an old Wurlitzer jukebox stacked with 45's from the era. The price has gone up to a quarter a play, but who cares? I got to sip my root beer and listen to the Purple People Eater. It doesn't get much better than that.
This place has been here off old Route 66 since 1956. It is the real deal and not some corporate manufactured retro like Johnny Rockets. It sits on a quiet country road, not in the middle of a mall.
As for the food, well to me it was almost unimportant. I would have loved this place no matter what, but we actually got good food here. I had their chicken snack, which consisted of two pieces of fried chicken and a side of mashed taters. The chicken was very good and the taters (obviously not homemade) were ok for what they were. The corn dogs were crispy and the burgers were very good. Christopher had a green river (fountain drink) with his burger and I grooved over my beloved root beer.
We ended the day with some great geocaching by the Kankakee River before heading back to the city.
The Polk-A-Dot Drive In was a perfect destination for two folks suffering from cabin fever and nostalgia and maybe a touch of arthritis on the side. Sometimes it is just really nice to find the small quiet spots where history lingers in the memories of vintage cars cruising old Route 66. As long as there are such places, Elvis will always be King and the Green River will flow.
After years of passing by it, I finally stopped in the Polk-A-Dot Drive In. My one disappointment was I didn't come here sooner. Double yeah for all the memorabilia! I definitely love the old drive-in feel of this place.
I ordered the Turtle Sundae and it was extremely yummy. They use the good ice cream not the ice milk garbage. Topping it off with hot fudge and caramel.. I'm in heaven. And if I didn't have enough (and yes, I ate my dessert first), I also ordered the corn dog. So nice and crunchy without any mushy hot dog in the middle. They know how to rock a corn dog.
One side note: Am I the only one who finds Elvis in the bathroom was a little creepy? It's a little hard to go when the King is staring at you. I'm just saying....
The onion rings are what saved this from being a 2 star review.
My grilled cheese was orange American cheese on soggy white bread. Â They were willing to put fresh tomatoes on it for me, which made it tolerable. Â BF had a hamburger that he enjoyed. Â The onion rings were fabulous, however: thick-cut, not too bready, soft and cooked onions, and crisp outside.
All of the doors, exterior, to the bathroom, etc., slam, which took away from the general ambiance. Â It's super kid-friendly, which also adds to the noise level.
This place simply rocks! Â Whenever we are in Braidwood, which is a lot in the Summer and Fall months, we cannot make it past without stopping. Â Our favorite Saturday place for lunch!
We especially recommend the burgers, fries, and chili cheese fries. Â Their chili cheese fries are worth the drive from the Chicago area alone!
Very clean place, and wonderfully friendly service. Â
If you have an extra 15 minutes or so of waiting time, order the fried chicken. Â Outstanding!
The food here is your standard burger and brat joint fare. Â It is tasty and always made fresh. Â But the greatest part of this place is the ambiance. Â It is an actual drive in, where your order can be placed at your car, brought out to you, and you eat in your car. Â Or there is a large dining area to enjoy your meal. Â The walls in the dining area are decked out with tons of 50's and 60's music memorabilia, and the best part is the original Wurlitzer juke box that stands in the corner. Â It is still in working order and only costs a dime per song. Â It is filled with records of (you guessed it) golden oldies like stuff from Buddy Holly and Frankie Valli. Â You can't miss the place, just look for the statues of Jake and Elwood Blues that stand out front.
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