I really did not appreciate Zeke's cheeseburger. Â It had some strange sauce on it and the burger was extremely thin. Â Zeke's isn't all bad though: the french fries were good, and the location is nice and far away from Seattle.
The best part of my experience here was that I was there in the late afternoon, on a Sunday, in July, and the traffic heading back to Seattle was backed up all the way to this place. Â I ate Zeke's strange tasting Cheeseburger, then began a roadtrip east to Leavenworth, down Hwy 97 to I-90, then back to Seattle in a big long loop. Â Yes it took 3 hours but at least I was driving for 3 hours instead of sitting in stop-n-go traffic for the same amount of time. Â Thanks to Zeke's I wasn't hungry on the extended drive. Â If you're hungry on this stretch of Route 2, I recommend driving to Skykomish to get a burger at the Cascadia Inn.
Wow, this place is a great stop if you are traveling to or from Stevens Pass. We always stop here for our travel grub and really enjoy the stop.
The burgers are good size and flavorful, the fries are hot and plentiful, and my daughters fish and chips had to be hand dipped (plus the amount of fish could have fed two 12 year olds).
Always make a point to stop here when you are on highway 2.
I agree 100% with Melvin D. I remember stopping at this place WAY back in the day (childhood) and it was one of the best burgers I have ever had. My boyfriend and I drive HWY 2 on occasion to go to Wenatchee and I always told him how good this place was and that I need to take him there sometime. Well that sometime was this weekend.
Traffic was HORRENDOUS, stop and go all the way to gold bar UGH. So we stopped to get some food here. We made it right before the rush thankfully. I got the cheeseburger basket which was way overpriced!! I paid $18 for 2 cheeseburger baskets! The cheeseburger was plain and tasteless. The patty is about as thin as a piece of paper and the cheese I swear was just the rubbery kraft single slices. I was pretty sad it wasnt as good as I remember...the fries on the other hand were hott, fresh and delicious!
The grounds are nice though to stop and rest at and stretch your legs.
We went to Zeke's today. First off they refused to make a hot fudge shake, if you are a Burger Master fan then you know these are BOMB! then my husband ordered his burger add bacon. It came with cheese he doesn't like cheese and No bacon when he went up to ask them to fix it they had to find the receipt " not sure why they couldn't trust him. He finally found the receipt he says to him here and gets he some limp bacon in a fry tray. My husband says that it has cheese the guy looks at him and says can't you handle it. So my husband just shook his head and took the burger and eat it. Don't think we will be stopping there again. the food was okay but...
Review Source:As many people said on here, memories of Zeke's from childhood made the food out to be much better than it is. I'm not saying the food is bad, it just isn't as amazing as I thought it was 10 years ago.
On the most recent trip I had the deluxe cheeseburger with bacon. The burger/meat itself is pretty darn good. The bacon was crispy, but also with the nice chewy pieces of fat that make for good bacon due to the contrasting textures. I read that others weren't digging on the relish, but I thought it was a nice touch that gave the burger a slightly sweet undertone. All the veggies on the burger were crispy and fresh. For some reason I feel that the flavor of lettuce and bacon together are superb & this burger just solidified my opinion. I was slightly disappointed with the deep fried mushrooms, they could have used less batter & more mushroom.
My dining companion had the ham & cheese with a side of coleslaw. I'm unsure if a cold ham & cheese is ever anything special, so I didn't hear her opinion on it. But the coleslaw was a different story. She loved it. Plus, it came in a pretty hefty portion, in a paper coffee cup. The fact that she enjoyed it so much means it's pretty f'n tasty. She's a coleslaw connoisseur after all.
I like the picnic tables, the fact that they have seasonings available (though I didn't need to use them), the huckleberry bushes surrounding the dining area, and ample parking. I've never had to wait too long in line, or for my food. Also, they have some of the cleanest drive-in burger place outside-the-restaurant bathrooms I have experienced. A downer though, they have a $7 card (debit/credit) minimum. Which is acceptable to me 'cause when I'm there I load up on food.
Anytime I'm on a road trip involving Highway 2 I will always stop by Zeke's on the way to my destination or on the way back. It's nostalgic and a completely decent place to eat.
Zeke's is a good, roadside shake and burger joint. Â Portions are large. Â Burgers are good, not fabulous, but consistent. Â Fries are great, (and their side of tartar sauce is huge.) Â Prices are fairly high, but not out of line with this type of establishment along hwy 2. Â Definitely worth stopping for lunch or an icecream if you are in the area.
Review Source:Giving it 5 stars because it's been a favorite place to grab a bite since I was 5 years old! Every summer a stop a zekes has been a tradition, and honestly the experience has changed little since the 1970's, and I would not have it any other way! Caboose still sits next to it, the sound of traffic on Hwy 2 zooming or crawling by.. occasional BNSF train going by.. it's a great place and I can't drive past without stopping if they are open. :)
Review Source:Overpriced, and just ok. I had the regular elk burger (which by the way, doesn't taste any different from beef) and it was about $8 with just mayo and bacon on it. Cam had a deluxe hamburger and said it was ok. We did get fries as well, and as other people have mentioned, they were fried well but had no flavor. We added a lot of salt on them.
Roughly $20 for two burgers, one fry and one drink. They did have a nice outdoor seating area as well as an enclosed area for when the weather was bad.
A good roadside stand for a quick bite. We stopped here on the way back from a weekend in Leavenworth.
I tried their 'new' grilled mushroom and Swiss burger. It had a generous helping of tender cooked mushrooms on top of the other deluxe toppings (lettuce, tomatoes, relish, etc.) and the melted Swiss. She had the deluxe cheeseburger. There was plenty of everything, all fresh and delicious, on each juicy, tasty burger.
The fries were tender and crispy, but oddly flavorless. The onion rings had too much tempura batter. The onions inside were well cooked and tender, but all I could taste was the breading.
We were too full from a weekend of eating, so we passed on the shakes. They sound delicious.
In my memory of a previous visit, Zeke's served one of the best burgers ever. These are good burgers, much better than anything from a chain, and perhaps the best available on the highway. But they didn't quite live up to my recollection.
Great road food. I was starting to feel down knowing I had a long eastbound drive ahead of me, but an elk burger with an espresso shake cheered me right up. The food is tasty, but not cheap. Totally worth the money, though. My burger was very filling and not super greasy.
Even if dairy gives you diarrhea, buy a shake and drink it. They are excellent.
Eastbound, don't go over the pass without some Zeke's. Westbound, you'd better stop if you're hungry, because you won't find anything this good until Everett.
I've eaten here once, to date. Â Ok, after hiking up over Bridal Veil Falls, my brother and I worked up an appetite. Â We visited the restaurant on 30 April 2011. Â I had the burger sans sauce and the fries, with tea. Â the burger was tasty and thin, which is good 'cause I'm watching my weight. Â The fries, however, were better than the burger. Â I'd visit this place again.
Review Source:We were driving over the pass and read many reviews to stop in this local dive. Â After an afternoon in the snow, we had an appetite for a yummy burger and this hit the spot. Â We liked how they offered Johnny's seasoning at the counter along with garlic salt when picking up your order. Â We chose the regular cheeseburgers and added the toppings we wanted instead of the Deluxe, which came with relish, mayo, lettuce, etc. Â Our meal was served in a brown paper bag with the top cut off. Â The fries were served piping hot along with our fresh thin patty burgers in foil. Â I liked the toasted sesame seed bun, and it obviously was a little unheathy with butter brushed on it. Â
It was chilly outside, so we sat in the building in the back, which was comfortable. Â The ambiance was lacking a little somethin' something and music could have made all the difference in the world. Â Overall, a nice little spot as there isn't a lot in town and it hit the spot for hubby and me. Â
$16 for two burgers, and we shared fries and a drink. Â 50 cents for a refill.
More burgers! But wait a tick, ELK? Like the C. canadensis species? (Totally Googled that). Heck yeah, I'm game! (bad pun intended).
Located on the side of the highway/main road, Zeke's Drive "Inn" is a step above regular drive-thrus and dare I say it, even Dick's. There's ample parking spaces and you saunter up to the counter to try and figure out if you want a hot dog, giant cheeseburger, chili cheese fries, 1 of over a dozen varieties of shakes or as previously mentioned, an ELK BURGER. Which by the way, was pretty tasty although I couldn't really pinpoint a big difference between that and regular ground beef.
The service is old-school from orders scribbled on paper and sent through the metal whirly thing and the short-order cook promptly dumping fresh French fries to sizzle its way to fried goodness. They offer up giant canisters of Johnny's Seasoning and garlic salt at the pick-up counter which actually, you might need for the chili cheese fries. They were hearty but disappointingly bland which was a bummer.
I might bump them up a star next time I'm on my way to hit the slopes as long as I get one of their milkshakes in me. They looked amazing and even had flavors like gingerbread and pumpkin, all made with real ingredients.
Other pluses: Clean separate gender bathrooms with plumbing, outdoor seating area for summertime and they take cards.
Drive down Hwy 2, see Zeke's, turn around on Hwy 2, stop at Zeke's!
Park, walk to the window, order and wait for them to call your number for pickup around the other side.
After a hike to Lake Serene we were in need of protein and stopped at Zeke's for a burger, fries, and a butterscotch milkshake. Use the mayo they provide on your burger and your fries! Don't think about what you are about to eat, just eat and enjoy (and go to the gym later).
They have ample picnic tables outside and an enclosed area if the weather doesn't allow dining alfresco.
After eating here, my boyfriend said, "you know what makes those burgers so good?"
"No one, except for maybe you, would be able to put that amount of mayonnaise on a burger."
Yes, they have perfected the burger. Thin patty, melted american cheese, crisp lettuce, white onion, and soft golden sesame seed flecked bun.
I have been continually surprised that they have also perfected the french fry. These are not the ultra-thin fries fast food places serve, in fact, they remind me most of the very non-burger stand fries at Caffe Presse (now I just need a little more mayonnaise to dip them in.)
The only thing I don't like about Zeke's? They use styrofoam cups and bowls! Maybe I can bring my own cup the next time I want a shake.
Ordered the two fer special deluxe and the burger was a MONSTER they arent kidding when you say enough for two. Plus its a great deal if you are ordering for two people. The burger was good. We had the lettuce and onions removed and mustard addded. It was a great burger. Nice and cheesy. The meat was good. The fries were pretty good. Not the best I have ever had for fries but the burger was good. My friend had a shake. She said it was really thick but good. I had lemonade. It was good lemonade. Pretty standard place. Great stop on the way home from Stevens.
Review Source:I remember eating in here on the way back from a ski trip several years ago and thinking it was awesome. Â So I was excited to make a stop in here on the way back home from the abomination known as Leavenworth. Â Unfortunately, I think what I've come to believe is that damn near anything tastes good after a hard day of skiing. Â Today I wasn't skiing and tasted this place for what it really is.
It's located just east of Gold Bar, which is one of those wanna-be towns dotted all up and down Highway 2 from Everett to Wenatchee, with joints named "Smiley's", "Bubba's", and of course "Zeke's". Â Gold Bar itself wouldn't be missed if it never existed. Â In fact, when I took a dump I didn't even bother to flush because it just seemed to belong there.
I ordered the cheeseburger and chili cheese fries (one of my personal favorite delicacies). Â Chili cheese fries... well... it's notoriously difficult to find any that are good. Â That is, crisp fries, a spicy chili, melted cheese on top. Â So I wasn't really surprised when I found these to be lacking. Â The chili was bland and I think probably ruined what would have been an otherwise decent order of fries, completely soggi-fying them. Â And they didn't even bother to melt the cheese on top. Â It was obviously fresh out of a ziplock pre-grated cheese bag from Safeway. Â You know, that stuff with barely any flavor.
I burped and moved on to the cheeseburger. Â I noticed straight off that the lettuce was wilted so I tossed it aside. Â Who needs veggies anyway. Â I took a bite and... oh NO! Â This is one of those places that puts either a mixture of sweet relish and mayo, or Thousand Island dressing on their burgers. Â For shame! Â Why do they do that?
I sighed. Â Another potentially good burger wasted. Â It's true, as one reviewer pointed out the burgers are thin, but I wouldn't call them tiny. Â He's right though -- whatever beefiness they once possessed is overpowered by condiments.
Would I come in here again? Â If I was starving after a day of skiing, probably. Â Otherwise? Â Nah.
I don't know what those so-so reviews were about but Zeke's is good. I love the thin patty. It means even, faster cooking, and a balance with bun, tomato, pickles, and lettuce. Was not dry or greasy and was completely juicy. Plus, who can beat that setting. Nestled between the mountains this is a perfect stop after rafting, a hike, or down from the slopes. Plus, the prices are extremely agreeable. What's not to love?
Review Source:I suspect that, for a lot of people, Zeke's pushes one of those "lost childhood" buttons that transports you back to a time when food tasted better, you didn't have your azz hanging over the precipice every single day, and the colors were all brighter and fun was all around. That ordinarily works on me, too. I get that vibe off random places, sometimes, and they squeeze my heart so hard it often brings tears to my eyes. So, I don't for a moment question anyone's 5-star rating of this place.
It was ALMOST perfect for me. BOTTOM LINE; perfect French fries, a totally dazzling milkshake, great hot dogs (Hebrew National, unless my palate deceives me) and absolutely the cleanest, most professionally-run operation I have seen at ANY restaurant in over a decade. BUT...
I ordered a BURGER. THAT is what Zeke's is famous for. And the entire sandwich was VERY tasty but the patty was almost thin enough to read through. Sorry, but I just CANNOT take a place seriously when the sandwich is three inches thick and it's mostly bun and garnishes. I want something to sink my teeth into and Zeke's did NOT deliver that. They have a larger version of the Deluxe and I think that's thicker but it's twice the money and then Value rears its ugly - but very relevant - head. I'd have GLADLY awarded Zeke's 5 stars if not for that unfortunate little under-nourished patty but there's just no getting around it. If BURGERS are what you're famous for, your BURGER - not the shakes or fries or cleanliness - should be the Star of The Show. And it isn't at Zeke's.
Also, the tartar sauce SUCKED. Mayo and pickles is NOT tartar sauce.
I'm giving five stars for the coolness factor, the tasty factor, and sincere acknowledgement of longevity and endurance success of this small business.
Nothing satisfies this spent, cold, beaten, skied-out body like a cheeseburger from Zeke's. The savory juicy goodness is worth the wait and drive down from the mountain because eating at Stevens is expensive and not so good. Yeah, you could bring your own food but if you skied your butt off didn't you earn a GOOD tasty hot burger and maybe some onion rings and a shake for a *reasonable* price? MMM MMM good.
Not skiing? Driving over the pass? Cruising the wilderness of Gold Bar? Their comfort grub will keep you happy.
I'm told the biz has existed since something like 1965? Wow!
Hours are 11 - 7ish weekdays and 11-7:30ish weekends.
Peanut butter milkshakes! Greasy greasy cheeseburgers! Fries that you just want to shove in your face! Fried everything!!
I hate Steven's pass with a passion and when I'm headed East I take Snoqualmie/Blewett...unless I just can't stop thinking about Zeke's in which case I'll brave the death trap that is Hwy 2.
This is a standard stop for my wife and I when heading home from a great day of white water rafting.
Hot, greasy (in the good way), filling, and belly happy making. Â From hotdogs to burgers. Â Pizza (of which I have not tried yet) fries, and deep fried vegs!
They have a nice sitting area, and clean bathrooms. Â (which is very important for a highway side stop.) Â
Try the shakes!
If any of Zeke's staff reads this, I will be the guy in the kilt. Â I might be juggling.
Do you like grease?!  Then you will like Zeke's.  We were  in-between fishing spots and starving so Zeke's was a welcome sign because I needed food ASAP.  I went with a cup of chili and a grilled cheese (which left some grease marks on the bag).  I haven't had a sandwich made with cheese singles since I was a kid, but it hit the spot and took me back to my childhood.  JP ordered a foot long (the thing was HUGE, seriously, not the skinny foot-long he was expecting but a big hunk of sausage) and some onion rings.  The food was decent, warmed us up and kept me full for the rest of the day/night!  If I wasn't so cold from standing in the water I might have ordered some ice cream...they have a decent selection.
Plenty of picnic tables to sit outside and eat and it appears that they have a small built in dining area behind the drive-in. Â We opted to eat outside. Â This is as casual as it gets since we were sitting there in our waders and another table was wearing their drysuits from kayaking. Â
This is the place to hit up if you are heading back from skiing or a hike and want something warm to eat...burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, shakes and fries...oh my!
Not sure what all the other reviewer's are seeing in this place. Â Seems like everybody has fond memories of how great it was when they were a kid.
Dont get me wrong... the burger's are good but nothing too spectacular for me.
Overall: Â Good place to stop and get some quick food before heading over the mountain pass. Â Not much in the way of food after this place.
Wilbur: Does anyone know how to spell, "Terrific?"
Goose: I think its spelled Tee-double-ee-double-r-double-r-double-i-double-f-Âdouble-i-double-c, c, c...
Old Sheep: Never ask a goose how to spell! The correct spelling is t-e-r-r-i-f-i-c.
Goose: I still think its prettier, spelled Tee-double-e-double-r...
One word, and i think you can guess what it is. Their food is absolutely outstanding. Good chili, delicious dogs, hot fries, and Ostrich burgers. Â Stop here for lunch while on your trek to leavenworth and Wenatchee and save a lot of dough for a decent dinner. :-)
YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY I GOT ZEKES IN MY TUMMY AND I FEEL LIKE LOVIN ZEKES....
Yes another one of my favorite joints headin over US 2 on the way to leavenworth..... The only real LAST RESORT food stop before Leavenworth cause theres nothing in Baring, Index, Skykomish or the knife shop...(huh?)....
They are a little on the pricey side being the last food stop, but WELL WORTH IT....
On the adventurous side?!? Â Try the Ostrich Burger, or how about the Buffalo Burger....Good eats there.....
If not then the hand tossed shakes and bacon burger(MMMMMM Bacon) will do the trick along with the house cut French Fries, think Dicks drive in but thicker.....
Five Stars for the Shrimp and Chips Platter with a thick chocolate shake. I never missed Zeke's on my way up or down from the slopes and from the look of the customers lined up in front of the order window, neither do many others. Zeke's has been parked on the side of Hiway 2 for a zillion years. It is a great, fast food join that you can't miss. This is one of my favorite burger stands in the Great Northwest (besides Dick's) but Dick's doesn't have the Shrimp and Chips Platter.
Review Source:I cant believe that someone has not reviewed Zeke's yet?!? Crazy!
Well this place is full of memory's for me because as a kid my family used to always stop here on the way back from camping trips. I used to always have to sit in the caboose no matter how hot of a day it was! That's right they have a real vintage caboose rail car that you can sit in and eat.
That said they have solid burgers, fries, great onion rings and fresh fruit shakes. I think they even have a buffalo burger. This is a must stop on a Sunday afternoon after you get off the trail or break camp to head back to the city!!
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